


Deck the Dates (with cups of coffee)

by auroraXborealis, bewdofchaos



Series: Holiday Cheers [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, And Atem is here to provide, Awkwardness, Banter, Christmas, Dorks, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Humor, M/M, Mutual Pining, Yugi's going to need a lot of coffee to make it through this one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:35:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 73,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28016325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auroraXborealis/pseuds/auroraXborealis, https://archiveofourown.org/users/bewdofchaos/pseuds/bewdofchaos
Summary: With his best friends’ Christmas Eve wedding less than two weeks away, Yugi Mutou tries to uphold his promise to find a plus one using a very unconventional method. Not even careful planning could prepare him for what is to come when he joins a holiday dating app.Atem Sennen has never thought much about holiday romance. Heck, he has not thought about romance at all recently. However, when a cute little customer enters both his coffee shop and his life, he is forced to reconsider his opinion on the topic.Naughty or nice, can they both find their merry and bright?
Relationships: Atem/Mutou Yuugi, Mutou Yuugi/Yami Yuugi
Series: Holiday Cheers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2065782
Comments: 388
Kudos: 156





	1. Prologue: On the Intricacies of Finding a Wedding Date

**Author's Note:**

> ‘Tis the season people, and what a better way to treat you with another collaboration by the Hivemind Productions!
> 
> Since we (Pants and Aurora), both share a love for cheesy Christmas/Holiday movies, we have decided to gift you this story where we will be celebrating all that is cheery and merry.  
> This time, we are treating both you readers and ourselves with some very well deserved puzzle boys goodness! But you know us, the road to goodness can never be easy and this one will be particularly torturous… in a humorous way, we hope!
> 
> A new chapter from this story will be published every day through until Christmas Eve as our combined homage to this wonderful season!
> 
> Happy Holidays from us to all of you!
> 
> Pants and Aurora

Yugi was certainly not a morning person.

This was a stark contrast to his friend Ryou, who sat across from him with the brightest smile on his face, looking refreshed and completely awake as ever at this much too early hour. Why Yugi had decided to indulge him into this impromptu morning meet-up was beyond his comprehension.

The things he did for his friends.

At least this place was nice. Ryou had set their rendezvous point at a quaint little café that Yugi had walked by more often than he had realised without ever walking in. There was quite a homey feeling to it, with its wooden table and chairs, and the walls lined with rustic wooden logs and rust red bricks, something that truly stood out against the city right outside the door. The place had been decorated for the holidays with perfectly placed flashes of green, red and gold, with lights hanging from the window frames.

“So… we’re now in December,” Ryou simply offered as a greeting as Yugi shifted in his seat opposite him at the small café table next to the large frosted window.

“Thank you for stating the obvious. I really needed that reminder while my fingers turn to icicles outside even under these mittens,” he replied as he pulled off his coat, scarf and aforementioned mittens, choosing to keep his toque on. He might have tried wrestling with his hair this morning and had failed spectacularly. 

In front of him was a steaming mug of coffee, the froth on top still perfectly warm. He wrapped his cold hands around it and sighed as the heat permeated into his frigid fingers. “I accept your offering of coffee for making me get up at this ungodly hour, but may I ask what this is about now?”

“It’s December 11 th , Yugi.”

The tricolour haired man blew on his cup before taking a tentative sip and sighing happily as the heavenly beverage met his tongue. “And I still don’t see your point.”

Ryou kept playing with the handle of his own mug innocently. “In precisely thirteen days, two of our best friends are getting married.”

Yugi kept looking at his friend over his drink, blinking. “Like I could forget about that. I get daily text reminders from Anzu.”

The other brought his cup to his lips and took a short sip before setting it back down, his eyes casting downwards. “And you still haven’t completed your end of the bargain.”

Yugi almost snorted his coffee. He coughed loudly, trying to keep his cool, but not quite achieving anything resembling composure. He wiped the corner of his mouth and eyed Ryou, looking quite annoyed. “You just had to say that while I had a sip in my mouth, did you?”

He did not know whether to be worried when his friend only displayed an almost too sweet and innocent smile as he answered. “Just stating the obvious, as you said.”

Yugi let his head fall loudly on the coffee table, the cups jingling like a symphony made of porcelain against their saucers. “It’s not ‘the obvious’, it’s the sword that’s been hanging over my head for the past 6 months!”

Ryou sighed casually. “Then why did you agree to this deal to begin with?”

The other lifted his gaze to him, chin still firmly planted on the wooden table, arms balancing like two heavy logs by his side. Heck, he felt that they were too heavy to lift, the time still being much too early for him. “You know me. I can’t say no to Anzu. She wanted me to have a plus one for her wedding and I agreed. She said it would mean the world to her if I was happy with someone on her special day. It would make it ‘extra special’.” He closed his eyes and sighed heavily. “And then I decided to put it on the back burner, and now it’s come back to haunt me like one of the ghosts of Christmas past!” 

His companion raised an eyebrow quizzically. “Don’t tell me you’ve waited until  _ now _ to actually figure it out?”

“No…” Yugi trailed. “... Maybe.”

Ryou shook his head. “Yugi, it’s just one date.”

Yugi’s head snapped back up and he pointed an accusatory finger towards him. “Don’t ‘Yugi’ me! And I can’t just ask anyone, I’m going to be stuck with that person for the whole evening and all. I want to enjoy myself, not suffer through it.” He groaned before adding: “Anzu will know for sure.”

“Then why don’t you just tell her it did not work out?” Ryou stated.

The shorter man grabbed back his drink and answered. “Because then Jou will have my head for disappointing his fiancée…” He made a circle motion around his face. “I’d like to keep my head on my shoulders, thank you very much.”

Ryou nodded, the embodiment of understanding and empathy. He then smirked. “This is why I don’t date. Much easier.”

A very light blush appeared across Yugi’s creamy cheeks. “I want to date, it’s just…” he started.

“Troublesome? Unpredictable? Annoying?” the other provided before taking another almost dainty sip. 

And his head was back on the table with another thud. “I’d have settled for complicated, but yes. All of the above.”

Ryou set his mug gently on the table in front of him. “Because I really enjoy your company and value your health, I’ll make you a deal of my own.”

Yugi perked up like a cat hearing a tuna can being opened. “You’ll go with me?”

The white-haired man giggled. “Oh, sweetie no. I’m helpful, and you’re desperate, I’m in this for the fun of it.”

Yugi rested his chin on his forearms resting against the table. “So what do you propose?”

Ryou produced his cellphone out of his coat pocket and laid it on the wooden surface between them. He unlocked his screen and started swiping to find what he was looking for. “Kaiba Corp is launching its newest app tonight, and I’m in charge of reviews, as you know.”

The other raised an eyebrow, clearly curious. “What does that have to do with me needing a date for Anzu and Jou’s wedding?”

Ryou smiled back, but there was something quite devious behind the sweetness of it. “Everything.”

Ryou turned the phone Yugi’s way and clicked on the app prototype he had already downloaded, the perks of being a member of Kaiba Corp. “It’s called Advent Match. Basically, you sign up for twelve dates that will be revealed to you daily, just like prizes in an advent calendar.”

He then showed him the specifics of how this would work. Yugi would fill a profile like on any dating app with his information, hobbies and pictures. He could even set an age gap and certain date preferences, like pre-select one specific place he would prefer to hang out for a rendezvous point. Then, every morning, a gift would pop up on the menu page that replicated a cute and holiday-themed advent calendar. When he would click on it, he would see the picture of his carefully chosen date for that day.

The dates would be chosen by an algorithm that was touted to be cutting edge, but was still very new. According to Ryou, it took into account a whole host of variables entered by the users. However, since it was still in the development stage this year, they still probably would have a few things to tweak, but the app was supposed to suggest people who you would be compatible with.

When he was done explaining and setting Yugi’s own phone with the notification to install that app as soon as it would be released, Ryou waited a few seconds for him to process all of this in.

Yugi looked at him, dumbfounded. “So you want to use me as a guinea pig?”

Ryou’s charming smile could have lit the room. “Absolutely.”

The other facepalmed. “I cannot tell if you are being serious or funny.”

The white-haired man just shrugged it off. “Both. Both is good.”

Yugi hid his face behind his hands. He sighed profoundly before mumbling his reply. “I feel like I’m going to regret this deeply.”

“So you’re in?” Ryou inquired while depositing his mug carefully on the white little saucer on the table.

To his great shame it seemed, Yugi nodded slowly. “As you so nicely put it before, I’m desperate. I mean, what do I have to lose?”

His friend tapped his chin in a thoughtful motion. “Let me think. Your pride? Your dignity? Your soul?”

The shorter man almost dropped his cup, but caught it before it came crashing down on the table. “I’ve already lost my pride and dignity by agreeing to this, but my soul?! This is just a dating app, right?”

Ryou laughed before getting up, Yugi following suit. The taller of the two held the door open as the other quickly pulled his mittens over his now warm fingers to keep them from freezing again. Ryou grabbed Yugi’s arm as they walked down the snowy and slippery sidewalk towards the game shop the purple-haired man owned.

“How about I simplify things for you?” he offered. “Set every single one of your dates at that café in the evenings and you keep me posted with feedback every morning. I’ll even pay for your coffee.”

Yugi seemed to think about the suggestion for a minute before replying. He did like the ambiance, and he had to admit that the coffee was wonderful. “You’ll buy me coffee for twelve dates, whatever I choose to drink?”

Ryou rolled his eyes dramatically. “Yes, Yugi, I will fuel your caffeine addiction. Besides, this counts as company expenses.”

The other frowned, finally putting some pieces together. “This was your plan all along right?”

The white-haired man pretended to be deep in contemplation, picking at a tiny spot of lint on the front of his coat. “I’ve been thinking about it for the past few weeks, sure.”

Yugi swatted his shoulder. “So why are you telling me just now?!”

The smirk that appeared on Ryou’s lips was an answer on its own. “I needed you to be just in the right distressed and almost hopeless mindset to agree to this without a fuss.”

The other shook his head miserably. “Why am I still your friend?”

And Ryou simply beamed at that. “Because I am a magnificent human being and you know it.”

He really had no other option at that point late in December. And besides, it could not hurt to try, right?


	2. Nutmeg Cappuccino

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 12th - T minus 12 days

His phone was clearly taunting him.

The Advent Match app had been installed as soon as it had released the previous evening and Yugi had spent copious amounts of time chatting with Ryou about how to fill out his profile. His friend had mentioned countless times to him that he was selling himself short when he had proposed some tame answers, and the white haired man had offered to take his account over and fill it properly.

Yugi went over it as soon as the other was done, and he was pleased with most of the answers on there, so he had just let it simmer and headed to bed. Now, as he sipped on his second cup of coffee of the morning, he kept glancing at his phone on the game shop counter. It was still too early for any customers to come in, but it also seemed too early for the app to offer him the awaited mystery date gift he had been promised.

He honestly did not know whether to be excited or anxious at the prospect of dating his way through the calendar, but if this would help him land a date for Jou and Anzu’s wedding, so be it. Maybe he would actually meet someone decent, someone great even, and this one date to the wedding would turn into something more.

He could hope, right?

The sound of the vibration indicating a new notification jostled him out of his reverie and he almost dropped his phone when he went to grab it with nervous fingers. Right after he swiped his passcode, a wrapped present appeared on his screen with a jingle, the classy Kaiba Corp. logo etched on the tag. He clicked on it apprehensively, and a beautiful golden-circled number one appeared before disintegrating and revealing a photo and a name.

Yugi took a few seconds to observe the features of a pretty blonde girl with mint green eyes, framed by large glasses. She had on a smile that almost looked rehearsed and practiced, and Yugi noticed immediately that this was not a casual picture, like the one he had chosen for his own profile, but a professional headshot. For a second, he wondered if he had done something wrong, but his mind was quickly brought back to the present as his phone chimed and vibrated again.

_ You have one new message! _

He clicked on the red envelope that had appeared and was taken to the messaging system integrated within the app.

**> Hello Mr. Mutou, how would you like to do this?**

So this was it, huh? This was how this whole journey would start, with a somewhat clipped, formal message from this mystery person, this Rebecca. Yugi told himself that if this was going to work, he needed to be himself completely, whether by message or later in person. He opted to propose what Ryou had suggested in their earlier meeting yesterday.

**> Hello Rebecca, want to meet up at the Rise and Grind café on Main street? **

He deposited his phone on the counter and just blankly stared at it as three little dots appeared, meaning his future date was actively responding to his message.

**> What time shall we convene?**

He did not know whether to laugh at the formal tone of the answer or be scared about how his evening would actually go. This Rebecca was either way too cartesian or was just as nervous as he was. He hoped for the latter.

**> How about 7? Sounds good to you?**

He decided to close the store around 6 to give him enough time to go get changed into something a bit more date-like, and maybe even try to tame his hair. Who was he kidding? His hair was untameable. Another ding and his eyes were back to his phone.

**> Agreed. We shall meet then.**

Yugi quickly sent a text to Ryou, telling him about his first upcoming date to which Ryou responded with a good luck message with a couple of eclectic emojis like he always did.

For the rest of the day, Yugi could feel his nerves build up. He had not been on a date in months… or maybe it was years now? It was not that he did not want to date as he had told Ryou, it was just so exhausting nowadays, finding the time and the energy to go out into any suitable public place to meet people.

He had never been one for the bar scene, except for the few times he would go with friends. Dancing was totally out of the question with his two left feet. Besides, the music was way too loud to make any decent connection with anyone… anyone who would actually want a connection and not a one-night stand.

He sighed heavily as he replaced a game box on top of the shelf. Jou kept telling him he was an old-fashioned soul. Yugi wanted to meet someone while browsing for books in a library, or doing grocery shopping and reflecting upon his coffee options in the breakfast aisle. He wanted to run into someone holding up the elevator for him, or to hold the door to a store as someone was coming out with hands full.

He wanted dating to be casual and fun, walking down a street and talking, sipping on coffee and laughing.

Heck, he wanted way too much out of dating to actually go for it.

So maybe this app was a good thing? It did not feel like any other apps where people would swipe you for a quick lay, or where people could stalk each other’s profile. He smiled to himself. 

Maybe this was a good thing.

***

_ Maybe this was a bad thing _ , he thought as he headed to the table inside the café, already wondering if he should just make a break for it or push down his insecurities and doubts, and give this a fighting chance.

Rebecca had arrived before him, waiting stoically in front of the coffee shop when he had jogged her way. He had been forced to work a late order at work, and he barely had the time to change and get into the right mindset to face this date. He had taken a deep breath as he had approached her and had put on the best smile he could muster.

“Hi Rebecca!” he had greeted her.

The woman had held up her wrist, checked her watch and sighed. “Hello, you’re late.”

Yugi had nervously scratched the back of his neck before while answering. “Yeah, I had a late order coming in. Very sorry about that.”

She had turned and barely glanced his way. “I’m going to have to take note of that.”

“Okay…” he had trailed innocently. He had noticed she was waiting for him to open up the door for her, and as the perfect gentleman he was, he had done so, inviting her in first.

She had taken only one step inside the café before proclaiming: “I’d love to sit far away from the door to avoid the chill.”

Yugi had nodded, and guessed what the next request might have been. “I’m guessing a window seat is out of the question too?”

She was unbuttoning her woolen coat, her heeled boots clicking on the wooden floor as she had made her way to a small table for two at the far end of the café. “Window seats are horrible,” she had stated matter-of-factly. “Who would want to offer themselves casually for the whole world to witness?”

Now, as he was sitting across from her after pushing in her chair once again like the polished date he wanted to be, he watched as she took a folder out of her large purse and opened it up. She produced an expensive looking pen and started filling in the gaps in what looked like a very extensive profile application on which he noticed his name at the top.

He thought for a moment this was a joke.

It had to be.

“I’ll go place an order,” he proposed, trying to get some time to get his bearings together. “What kind of beverage can I get you?”

She did not even look up as she answered. “Water.”

He raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “Water?” he repeated.

She deigned to finally look up at him behind her glasses. “I don’t drink caffeine, dairy or anything that could impair my sharp mind and my perfectly balanced diet.”

He was afraid to ask, but he did anyway. “Care for anything to eat?”

Her eyes were back down on her file, pen scratching again at the page. “Fine. I will take something. You should know that I don’t do gluten, sugar or trans-fat.” 

He stood up with an ever present smile on his face, although she was still not looking at him. “I’ll see what I can get you then.”

“Please do,” her tone clipped, not a touch of warmth in it.

He gulped.

Well, so much for date number one so far.

***

_ One medium caramel macchiato and one large peppermint mocha, extra whip. _

Atem recited the next order from the pending orders screen in his mind as his hands went to work. The machine whirred softly as it ground the espresso beans, which were promptly tamped in the dosing funnel. While the espresso started to run into the waiting mugs below, milk was splashed from its four liter jug into the small stainless steel milk pitcher for steaming. 

Even though he was the owner of this little cafe, he loved to work the floor and serve his customers. Even after many years in the business, there was still something so refreshing and pleasing about the smells that came with crafting the perfect espresso beverage. The spent espresso grounds were knocked into the knockbox. Milk met espresso as he compiled the components of the beverages with care. Now complete, the mugs were offered to the waiting patrons with a genial smile and the process was started anew with the next beverage on the board.

_ Medium Red Eye, extra espresso. Someone really needs their caffeine,  _ Atem remarked internally with a small chuckle before moving back towards the espresso grinder.

Working the floor was often busy but could get a little monotonous. Your mind could easily get lost in the clouds of steam, thoughts sucked into the beverages, but Atem tried to pull himself from his work at regular intervals to take in all of the sights and sounds of the Rise and Grind Coffee Shop. He loved those first rays of sun that shone through the windows on early morning shifts and the sky slowly fading across the far end of the spectrum as dusk fell. His heart was warmed by catching glimpses of friends meeting across a table, laughing over the rims of their brews. The small smile on a customer’s face as they took their first sips brought a smile to his own. The little thank yous and quips of the regulars as they picked up their usual. 

It was these little things that made him happy.

The turbo charged Red Eye now complete and in its rightful hands, he set off to work making a flat white that would knock anyone flat on their butt with joy. This holiday season the cafe was a little short staffed, so Atem had decided to take on many of the closing shifts himself. Despite being a morning person, this arrangement was actually enjoyable. As when the days got shorter, that’s when the nights truly came to life, and so did his little coffee shop.

Atem glanced up from the to-go cup he was filling to gaze at the dangling icicle lights that had been strung up around the window frames, their flickering lights illuminating the glass. Those flickers caught against the garland strung below the windowsill, bounding silver and gold off the wooden panelled walls. It created a cozy atmosphere that was perfect for the season.

He loved Christmas. The sights, the carols, the anticipation building as days progressed to their eve. After all, with all the snow and cheer, how could you not? The Christmas coffee beverages also contributed to the gaiety. Peppermint, eggnog, chocolate, spices. The list went on and on.

Just like the number of chocolate syrup pumps in this particular peppermint mocha. 

The customer wanted five extra pumps. Five. At what point does a coffee not become a coffee anymore? This customer’s beverage was surely toeing that line. They say the customer is always right, but Atem often wondered about the accuracy of this statement.

“One medium Peppermint Mocha, five extra pumps, hold the whip.” Atem announced, his deep voice carrying out beyond the ambient noise of the cafe. A woman who was tightly bundled in a multicoloured scarf perked right up, eyes sparkling like the lights on the tree as they found her next source of sugar. With a jovial bubbled word of appreciation, the woman collected her overly sweet beverage and made for the door.

Atem smiled at the retreating personification of a sugar rush. He had served her many times. At least she was slowly cutting back on the pumps.

His task done, he returned his attention to the board displaying the queue. Nothing. Empty. Finally.

Atem let out a small, satisfied sigh as he turned away and briefly looked out to the rest of the patrons. Most of the tables were occupied with students huddled in front of laptops with steaming mugs at their elbows. For the first time in at least an hour, no one was in line for an order or refill. There was a little time to get a head start on the cleaning and organizing.

Just as Atem finished stacking the last newly cleaned mug, he turned around to see a new face peering at the menu hung on the wall across from the counter.

New indeed. Atem had been working here for quite some time and he would have remembered a face like that. Amethyst eyes tracked down the list, curious and imploring. The man chewed lightly on his lower lip as he pondered his options. Those big eyes with the slightest hint of an angular contour were unique, but his most striking feature was his hair. Never in Atem’s life had he seen anyone with a hairstyle like his before. The tricoloured spiked mess was nearly identical except for slight differences in styling and his violet tips to Atem’s crimson.

A thousand lighthearted quips flitted through Atem’s mind to open up the conversation with this new customer. Jokes about static cling, hedgehogs or secret aspirations of being the lead in a nineties punk band. However, when it came time for Atem to open up his mouth to finally greet the man, all he could muster was a small, stilted “Hi.”

Why did his words have to fail him now?

“Hi there,” The man greeted, his words seemingly cooperating just fine. “Uh, can I place an order?”

“Of course.” An easy smile grew on Atem’s face as his words finally found their way to his tongue. “What can I get for you?”

“Well, I actually have a strange request.” The man smiled a smile Atem knew all too well: the classic embarrassed preemptive apology smile. What sort of out of the box order was this going to be? Just so long as it did not turn out like the peppermint mango latte fiasco... 

“What is the blandest food item you sell?”

That was new. In all of his years here, he had never received a request like that before. “‘Blandest?’”

“Yeah, uh, without any dairy, fat, or really any… flavour?” The other elaborated, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

Atem took pause, his eyes flitting down towards the display case of baked goods. The cookies would be much too sweet, the croissants too buttery…

“We have plain scones.” Atem offered.

“Great!” the customer said before immediately retracting his statement. “Oh no, wait! I forgot about the gluten… You wouldn’t happen to have gluten-free plain scones out of sheer dumb luck, would you?”

Atem tried not to laugh. The poor guy seemed completely desperate. He smiled before answering: “Well, as sheer dumb luck would have it, we do.”

Relief washed over the other’s features. “Perfect. I will take one. Could I also grab one of those eggnog scones, a nutmeg cappuccino and a glass of water?”

“No problem.” Atem said as he punched the order into the touchscreen cash register. “That will be $13.52.”

The man paid with his card and after expressing his thanks, he moved towards the other end of the counter. As Atem started grinding the beans for the nutmeg cappuccino, he fought to stifle his amusement. He idly wondered if the plain scone was for the man, but his embarrassment spoke against it. He did not mention any allergies, so the desire for bland could be by preference? He could not fathom this being the man’s preference though.

He was definitely not bland.

Atem looked up from the steaming coffee back at the customer awaiting his order. The man was dressed in a crew neck knit sweater, small blue snowflakes and stars adorning its surface. His black jeans fit him nicely and were cuffed just above dark brown leather boots. He certainly caught the eye, and Atem’s certainly held on the newcomer. 

The merriness that the man had exuded in their interaction had subsided during his wait. His brow had developed a crease and his gaze was distant. He looked a little nervous. On edge. His fingers skirted the wooden countertop he leaned against, tracing the circumference of one of the knots. 

Atem rounded up the drinks and baked goods. “I have your order ready here….?”

The other looked up from the wood at the call, the question hanging in the air for a moment before the prompt was taken. “Yugi. My name is Yugi.”

“Nice to meet you, Yugi. I hope you enjoy your scone.” Atem pushed the plates forward gently.

“I know for sure I will. This looks delicious!” Yugi waved a hand at the eggnog scone, its sweet glaze glistening. “We will see if the plain gluten free scone fits the bill, though. She knows what she wants, that’s for sure.”

_ Ah.  _ “On a date?”

“Yeah.”

“Good luck,” Atem said, pulling away from the counter just as the next customer pulled up against the counter to order, “I’m sure you will do just fine.”

“Thanks, uh…” Violet eyes drifted down to his red apron, “Atem.”

Atem smiled back as adjusted his apron which bore his golden name tag. “If you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask.”

When Yugi returned to his table, Rebecca had set the file on the side, making room for her glass of water and that horrible excuse of a pastry that he gently set down in front of her. She mechanically thanked him, wiping the excess condensation on her glass with a napkin.

“So hum… you look prepared.”

“And you don’t. I thought for sure you would at least cards with prepared conversation topics.”

Yugi wanted to laugh, he really did. Was this girl for real? He chose to believe that maybe this was her way to cope with nerves, and that she would warm up after a few minutes… or bites of her terrible choice of snack.

“I didn’t. I mean, this is a date, so I wanted it to feel natural and casual, just nice, you know?”

She kept looking at him as her hand reached for her pen and she scribbled a few words on top of a new sheet. It clearly read ‘came unprepared’ and Yugi could feel the sweat starting to build on his hands from unease. Was this what dating was supposed to feel like nowadays? Like a job interview in which every single one of his words and actions would weigh in the balance of whether or not this could lead to a second date?

“Shall I begin then?” she voiced, her eyes as neutral as ever, not trace of any other emotion in them.

He was afraid to ask, but did anyway. “Begin what?”

The file was back in front of her, the untouched scone abandoned on the side. A quick glance told him he could not have even begun to mentally prepare for what he was about to face.

The slew of questions thrown his way felt like facing a very perilous drive on an icy downhill road without winter tires nor brakes. They came at him rapidly, barely giving him any time to answer any of them. She had divided her questionnaire into sections, some short answers, some multiple choices and there was even a section at the end where he would have to write some sort of essay on god knows what topic she had chosen for him.

These questions ranged from his professional life, to his medical history, to his hobbies (only a few of which were barely acceptable it seemed from the answers she took down) and all the little details that she had thought important to this meeting. Because this felt way more like a meeting than a date, for sure.

Hell, his very short interaction with the barista had been more fun than this. He glanced towards the counter to catch a glimpse of the guy again to see how he was doing on this otherwise catastrophic evening. He looked to be rounding up a few things, making Yugi also realise that, although time seemed to have passed eternally slowly, it was almost time for the café to close for the evening.

He was about to mention it to his date when he noticed she was staring at him.

“I don’t think this is going to work.”

“Really?” He held back on the sarcasm he could feel edging on his tongue. “Why is that?”

She closed her folder and neatly put her pen next to it. “You don’t seem as committed as I would need you to be. You’ve been daydreaming and have yet to answer my last question. You should have been more focused.”

Yugi sighed, but he did not want to upset the poor girl who clearly probably had even less experience in dating then him. “Focused on what, Rebecca? I mean, you seem nice, you’re a beautiful girl who signed up on a dating app, but I can’t tell what you were hoping to find,” he explained before adding: “I don’t even know if I’d call this a date.”

For the first time this evening, he saw a flash of emotion other than displeasure pass through her eyes, something akin to disappointment. “We can still finish the questionnaire if you want. I could keep you in mind and reconvene with you at a later date after reviewing your answers.”

Yugi offered her a genuine smile. “I don’t think that’s how dating works.”

“Oh.”

Without any further comment, she stood up and started putting her coat on. He followed suit, not knowing what to add either to their conversation. He picked up their mugs and motioned to the door. “Just give me a few seconds and I’ll walk you to your car.”

She flicked her hair out of her meticulous wrapped scarf. “That is not necessary, I am not parked far.”

This time, Yugi let out a soft chuckle. “Maybe, but that is one of the things people do on dates.”

“Oh,” she simply replied once more.

Yugi watched as she made her way towards the door while he headed to the counter and hefted their dirty dishes onto the counter.

At the sound of the drinkware contacting the wood, the barista jolted out of his thoughts. “Oh, thank you. I hope you had a good evening.”

The man across the counter snorted lightly. “Well, it was interesting to say the least.”

“Interesting as in…?”

Atem’s bold question seemed to catch both men off guard. For a moment, Atem wondered if he had pushed a little too far. Atem would often joke around with regulars or ask about their dates, but this man was not a regular. He had only talked to this man with the kind eyes for a couple minutes before, and now, those kind eyes were startled. Thankfully, they quickly softened.

“Ah, she seems nice and all but…”

“I understand.” Atem reassured after letting the beat of silence hang. He reached to grab a spray bottle and a fistful of paper towels. “Maybe the next girl will be what you’re looking for.”

“Thanks Atem. Have a good night.”

“You as well.”

Atem busied himself with scrubbing at a spot of dried coffee on the counter until he heard the door close. For the first time since opening, the shop was silent. Serene. He had a couple things left to complete before he could join the patrons on their excursions home. Usually he found a satisfied joy in tucking in the place for the night, but today, he was pensive. A vague restlessness had seeded into his bones, those roots provoking a barely perceptible ache as they grew and spread. He found his thoughts drifting towards the newcomer. The one with the kind eyes.

He scoffed as he turned his attention back onto the counter, scrubbing at that spot with renewed vigour as a way to distract himself. Though, before he pushed this fleeting thought entirely out into the night, he indulged it one last time.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for,” he murmured to no one in particular.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Tumblrs:  
> [xauroraxborealisx](https://xauroraxborealisx.tumblr.com/)  
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	3. Salted Caramel Americano

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 13th - T minus 11 days

“So, how did my little Casanova do last night?”

Yugi stifled back a groan as he held the phone to his ear with his shoulder, warming his two hands around a steaming mug of coffee.

“It was… interesting?” he offered, uncertain.

Ryou giggled at the other end of the line. “You do know that always means bad, right?”

The other sighed loudly, watching as people walked by the store door of which the OPEN sign had only been put up only a few minutes before. “Enlightening then?”

His interlocutor laughed even louder and he could hear him take a long sip of what he assumed to be tea before asking: “What happened?”

Yugi dipped a finger into his coffee, nonchalantly swirling the cream that had resurfaced to the top. “She seemed nice when I first saw her…”

“I’m sensing a ‘but’...” the voice at the other end prompted.

He licked his finger clean and let it go with a popping noise. “Ryou, she brought a questionnaire.”

There was uncertainty in his friend’s voice. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Yugi started, rubbing the tension right between his eyes with his thumb and index finger, “she brought a file folder with my profile sheet and a questionnaire of about a hundred inquiries.”

There was a pause longer than it needed to be before Ryou spoke again. “Please tell me you did not answer all of them.”

Another long and profound sigh escaped Yugi’s lips. “We didn’t have the time, the café closed before she finished.”

“You actually went through with it?” Ryou demanded with genuine surprise.

“What was I supposed to do, just leave her there?” the tricolour haired man exclaimed. “You know I couldn’t do that, I’m… too nice for that.”

His friend laughed, but there was nothing mean in that reaction, just a deep understanding of Yugi’s natural instinct to please. “That you are, lad. So what does your prospect for tonight look like?”

“He looks… interesting?”

For a minute, Yugi held the phone away and swiped on his screen to find the picture of his evening date. The man looked nice enough, with a hefty mane of dark blue hair held back by a silly headband. His picture accentuated his heaps of muscle that could make most jocks blush. He was not bad looking, per say, just a tad intimidating, maybe? He sent it to Ryou via text quickly before bringing the phone back to his ear.

He could hear the change in volume as Ryou put him on speakerphone while looking at the picture he just sent him. “Don’t let that first date get you down. This next one might be really nice,” he said before adding, “Might need a haircut before the wedding, though.”

Yugi laughed wholeheartedly at the comment and agreed with Ryou. After all, this was only his second date, so why not give this whole dating app a chance before casting it aside? At least, this Mako guy did have a nice smile, compared to the stoic Rebecca he had spent the previous evening with.

And he could go for one more of those eggnog scones. It had been quite delicious. Or who knew? Maybe the barista could suggest another tempting pastry.

***

_ He’s here again. _

A glimmer of amethyst and gold caught Atem’s eye, shining briefly through the front window. The newcomer from yesterday — Yugi — was back, and surrounded by an entourage of snowflakes spilling around him as he stood on the sidewalk outside the coffee shop. Atem’s hand gripped the tag of the tea bag a little tighter, the bag hovering in anticipation over the steaming mug of water destined to be a London Fog. In silence, he watched the other do a quick scan of the street and then glance into the café as he kicked at the snow with his boots.

Who was he looking for? Maybe a friend? Although possible, he doubted it. Yugi could be looking for that girl again. Although, if Yugi was actually looking for that girl, it would be more than surprising. He did not know much about this newcomer, but he could tell that Yugi had not been all that interested in his date last night. Over his time being a coffee shop owner, he had become well accustomed to the pained look of someone enduring a bad date, and this look was painted all over Yugi’s face last night.

“Atem! Are you going to finish making that Fog sometime this week? Customers are going to riot!”

At the jab, Atem snapped out of his thoughts and reflexively plunged the tea bag into the hot water waiting below. 

“I mean, you’re supposed to lead this ship, not let it sink, boss! Keep your fantasies to a minimum, please!” The other barista pulled up beside him, deep purple eyes glimmering beneath a mess of straw coloured hair. “What the hell are you thinking about?”

“Nothing, Marik.” Atem responded evenly as he reached across the other to grab the steamed milk. “I’m just a little tired today, that’s all.”

The smile grew devious. “You’re tired, huh?”

“I suppose.”

Marik pulled in close. “Were you up late last night with some—”

“No.” Curt. The tea bag was roughly absolved of its duties.

“Hey, you don’t have to get snippy, ‘Tem.” Marik lightly smacked Atem’s shoulder, nearly causing the steamed milk in Atem’s hand to fly. “I’m just fucking with you. You’re much too noble for a one night stand. But seriously, what’s your problem?”

“Nothing.” Milk joined tea.

“No, there’s definitely _ something _ . You’re usually not this… irritable.”

Atem brought the drink over towards the flavored syrup pumps and sucked in a breath. “I’m not irritable. And as both your friend and boss, can I please ask you to stop? We are supposed to be working, and it’s very hard to get anything done with you in my ear.”

Marik sighed roughly. “You need to get laid.”

“Marik!”

At the hiss, Marik retreated with a snicker, murmuring something about Atem being a royal pain in his ass. This left Atem to percolate next to the drip coffee carafes. He really should not have snapped at Marik, but damn, did that guy get under his skin sometimes. Well, if you had known someone since the age of five, you would have surely found many of their buttons by now. Marik definitely liked to press his buttons. Although despite being a smart ass, he was one of his best friends and treasured employees.

Atem grabbed the now complete drink and looked up to announce its arrival. “Medium London…”

Fog. A fog seemed to creep in from the corners of his eyes, leaving only one thing clear and in focus. Yugi was standing by the till, gazing upwards once again at the menu as he pondered his drink choice. Beside him was the tell tale evidence that he had indeed found who he was looking for.

A man at least six feet tall stood beside him, a mountain in comparison to a country hill. Despite his thick wool coat, his broad shoulders and muscular neck gave away his physique. His dark blue hair was barely contained by a tie, with bits and pieces springing forth as if to denounce the presence of gravity. 

“Do you know what you would like?” the man asked Yugi.

“Yes, but I’ve got the tab, ok?”

“No, I will not allow it! Let me pay for you. It’s the least I can do for the pleasure of your company!” the dark haired man boomed, shooting Yugi a smile that would have reduced most of a particular inclination to a puddle. As he watched Yugi start to flush under the light of that smile, Atem found his own solidity being thrown into question. With a small shake of his head, he decided it was time to get things moving.

“So what would you like, gentlemen?”

“For me, I will take a large coffee. Nothing in it please, I like my coffee as dark and clear as the ocean on a moonless night.”

Atem blinked. A mountain of muscle with a flare for the dramatic. There was never a boring day at the coffee shop. “Alright… and for you, Yugi?”

“Oh, hi Atem,” Yugi greeted him with a lopsided smile, his cheeks still stained a faint pink. “I’d like to try your Salted Caramel Americano. It sounds amazing!”

“Coming right up.”

***

Yugi felt oh so very small.

This time, he had been the one to wait outside the café, arriving a bit earlier and not late like yesterday. He had watched as a few people passed him by, smiling at them as they hurried towards their destinations. None of them so far had had the recognizable mop of dark blue hair from the gift picture he got. He had hidden his own mane under a toque because of the cold that had elevated during the day.

As time went on, he felt the nerves starting to build, until finally, the wait was over. 

“Excuse me, sir. Are you by any chance one Yugi Mutou?” a voice had prompted from behind. 

He had briskly turned around and almost fell back onto his butt as he had faced a tower of man about twice his size and width. For a second, his words had become stuck in the back of his throat as he had gaped at the other man inquiring about his identity.

“Y-yeah. I’m Yugi Mutou.”

The man had let his enormous hood fall from his head and had offered him a bright and nervous smile. Yugi had recognized the hair immediately from the picture he had been sent that same morning. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” the man had said while extending a hand. “I’m Mako Tsunami.”

“H-hi,” Yugi had stuttered still in some shock. “Nice to meet you too.”

Mako had held the door open for him, and childishly, Yugi had walked right under that arm above his head. At least, things seemed more promising than they had yesterday, without the permanent chill that had set as soon as Rebecca and he had met up.

The man had insisted on paying for their drinks and had done so before leading him to an empty table right in the middle of the café. Yugi could not help but think he looked ridiculously too tall and large sitting in the small wooden chair where he perched. Heck, Yugi felt like a chipmunk in front of an oak tree right now.

The other prompted open the conversation. “May I call you Yugi?”

Yugi smiled ever so sweetly at the polite request. “You may, Mako. So what is it you do for a living if I may ask too?”

A flush of pride appeared on Mako’s cheekbones. “I am but a humble fisherman, currently quite restless as I have not gone out on the sea for the past few weeks. Winter is so cruel to a man like me.”

The shorter man did not know if he should find this whole interaction funny or poetic. His mind settled on a mix of both as he commented on it. “Wow, a fisherman! That’s a first for me!”

The hunk of man took a sip of his dark coffee before returning the question. Yugi answered casually, quickly explaining how he owned a game shop, with a wide selection of board games, cards games and books related to the topic. He kept the information curt and short to make room for more conversation between them.

“So tell me, what is it you like about being a fisherman?”

Suddenly, it was like Yugi had opened a door and the flood of words came out of the other’s mouth like a tsunami. His chest popped forward and his eyes started glistening from the intensity. Yugi gulped even before he started.

“I love being one with my mistress, scavenging her bowels for sustenance. Her depths still keep many secrets from me, but I vow to uncover as much of her mysterious persona as I can over the course of my measly existence.”

Then, as his date took in a deep breath, Yugi quickly realized that he had hesitated a second too long to change the topic. The second bout of the natural disaster struck him harder than the first.

“Ah, but the sea is such a precious jewel that all should admire. She is the most graceful of dancers if you learn to follow her lead. She is the prettiest of damsels if you care to appreciate her curves and edges. She is the perfect companion for any man searching for a lifelong partner that will never disappoint.”

So there he was, barely able to drink his comforting beverage as his date was signing the ocean’s praise as if it was his lover instead of just… you know, the ocean. He had yet to insert a word amongst the madness, and began to feel self-conscious as people started eavesdropping on Mako’s monologue. He felt their stares, pitying the poor man that was forced to endure it.

He willed himself to think about the fact that this was not so bad. At least, this man was passionate about his job and his life, compared to the icicle he had spent the evening with yesterday. But by the time Mako entered into the tenth consecutive minute of his monologue, he could no longer bear to hear any more marine metaphors and love sonnets.

“Mako, I just- Could we talk about something else? Anything else?”

Mako looked taken aback suddenly, halting right in the middle of another long and prosaic sentence to gape like a caught fish. He blinked as Yugi, who not only felt his gaze but the ones of the other patrons continuing to look at them with a distinct lack of subtlety. And boy did Yugi not like being the center of attention. He hid his face behind his hands and shook his head.

Why was this dating thing so hard?

He took a short breath before facing the other again, sheepishly. “Yeah, sorry. It’s just, honestly, I’m not as passionate about the ocean as you are and you are kind of making me uncomfortable the way you’re talking about it and I just…” At this point, he was not sure what he wanted out of this peculiar date. “I just want to talk, like a real back and forth conversation maybe?”

“Oh,” the other replied.

What was it with people and ‘oh’? Was he the only one looking for casual conversation in dating?

“So, hum… you like sushi?” Mako asked, leaving the subject of the sea to go to that of fish...

Yugi mentally facepalmed.

***

From Atem’s perch at the now quiet counter, he did not know what was more fascinating: the muscled seaman, who was deeply involved in telling a story more with his hands than his words or the mild look of bewilderment upon his companion’s face. They made an interesting couple. An incongruent, yet undeniably interesting couple. 

Atem could not help but think about Yugi’s dating situation, which was intriguing to say the least. Two dates back to back with two different people. Yugi did not strike him as a philanderer or serial dater or something. He was kind, sweet and polite to a tee. Not your average hook-up obsessed, one-pump chump.

Not a one-pump chump… Atem felt his cheeks grow hot as the indecent thought coursed through his mind. Clearing his throat, he righted himself and plunged this thought into the basin of soapy water along with his dish cloth. Where was this coming from? He wrung out the cloth and started his nightly deep clean of the preparation station to preoccupy his thoughts.

It did not work.

Unless he had lost every last shred of ability to read a situation, Yugi was clearly on a date. With another man. Atem pursed his lips to hide his growing smile. Maybe these thoughts were not that far-fetched after all.

He finished caring for the counter and was about to move onto the espresso machine, when noticed that Yugi now stood by the door, deeply engrossed in what was only to be the last lingering words for a date now spent. At a distance, he could not make out the words, but by Yugi’s sheepishness and awkward stance, Atem suspected a whale of a revelation was about to be dropped on the fisherman. 

Words. 

More words. 

Excitement faded to reserved politeness.

There it was, the inevitable terminus of the ‘I don’t feel a connection’ conversation.

This is not the first nor the last time he would witness a conversation like this, these happened at least a half dozen times during a usual barista shift, but this one was particularly difficult to watch. For a moment, Atem wondered if he was about to see a grown man cry. Yugi, on the other hand, seemed to handle this in stride despite his awkward air, and soon, this conversation was over without so much as a tear or wail. In fact, once Yugi had stated his piece, the towering fisherman broke out into a full belly laugh and pulled him in, strong arms creating the most ferocious bear hug Atem had ever seen.   


Eventually, a flustered Yugi was released and the show was over. With a shake of his head, Atem turned back towards his work. Mid turn, however, he caught a flash of movement in his periphery. Expectant eyes met a hand, waving a polite farewell from the doorway. The flush he had pushed aside earlier fought for its rightful real estate.

This was embarrassing. How long had Yugi known he was watching? Thankfully before he could fully freeze up, Yugi took a step backwards towards the door. Atem raised a hand and smiled what he hoped was a normal, friendly smile back

“Good night, Yugi.” He murmured thoughtfully just as Yugi turned to open the door.

“For fuck’s sake, you definitely need to get laid,” Marik teased, clapping Atem roughly on the shoulder.

“Marik...”


	4. Almond Honey Flat White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 14th - T minus 10 days

When his alarm clock rang that morning, Yugi wondered if he really wanted to face the world today or not. All the notifications on his phone came in right as the time changed to 7 am, and he recognized the different chimes.

One in particular made his stomach churn.

A slight jingle of bells, a typical Christmassy sound.

He groaned, grabbing the pillow from underneath his head to shove it right back on his face.

Another familiar song started, one he had carefully chosen for his best friend. As the theme song from the X-Files started its second minute, he finally picked it, dreading the interrogation he was about to face.

“Can we not start the day talking about my other date failure?” he opened up as soon as he took the call.

The voice on the other end was sad, but supportive. “That bad?”

“Yes,” Yugi sighed as he let out his answer, but then thought better of it. “No.”

He could hear Ryou’s smile in his reply. “I won’t ask, okay?”

The lying man felt the need to supply a bit more details still. “He was nice, but just…”

“Not quite what you’re looking for?” Ryou finished for him.

The words resonated within him even more than he could have imagined. His mind kept spiraling around them. What was he looking for indeed? He found himself becoming tongue-tied, unable to form a coherent response to his own question.

He decided to push back the invasive inquiry, and chuckled into his phone. “Yeah, it kinda felt he was already in love with someone else and I simply could not compete.”

“What do you mean?”

Yugi went on to explain how the man he had met yesterday had his heart stolen by something much more powerful than a mere human. His interlocutor got a good laugh as he repeated the prose he heard yesterday from the mouth of the man who would probably need to find some sort of siren in his life, not a small man with a passion for games.

After what must have been a longer pause than he intended, he heard Ryou back on the line. “You know, you don’t have to go through with this if you don’t want to.”

Yugi shifted in his bed so that he was no longer laying on his side. “Ryou, I need a date to that wedding,” he said before sighing again. “I’ve had enough of Anzu mothering me and looking at me with pity whenever I mention I’m still single.”

“We could lie,” the other offered blatantly.

Yugi did not even hesitate in his answer. “She would know.”

“You’re right, she totally would,” Ryou conceded.

For a second, Yugi was silent. He did not know why exactly he wanted to be completely open and honest with his best friend right at this exact moment. “Besides, I want this. I want… someone.”

Ryou awwwed over the phone, but there was this lingering affection in his voice, one that was mostly reserved for only Yugi. Oh, and the stray cats he took in from time to time. “Now, there’s my hopelessly romantic best friend!”

Yugi chuckled at the implication. “And there’s my overbearing and slightly disturbed one!”

Sensing maybe now was a better time to ask, Ryou prompted: “Now, open up that next gift and tell me what your next prospect looks like!”

The tricolour haired man rolled his eyes as he threw his legs to the side and finally spent the energy needed to sit up. “Your curiosity borders on voyeurism, you know that, right?”

“What can I say?” Ryou said. “I’m living my best dateless life through my bestie.”

***

_ Another date? It can’t be… _

Atem nearly dropped the soy milk carton in his hand as Yugi walked through the doorway for the third evening this week and waved politely at what must be another date. The target of the other’s attention was a tall man with long brown hair and an even longer goldenrod coloured scarf who was standing beside the local bulletin cork board. Atem could not believe his eyes as he watched Yugi smile that sweet smile up at the newcomer and made a motion towards one of the unoccupied tables near the front window.

With a small hum, he shook the soy milk in his hand before pouring it in the steaming pitcher. Three dates in three days. He was exhausted even thinking about it! Dating could be difficult at the best of times, and even if a first date was good, it could be quite taxing. The endless dance around social niceties and the unspoken rules. The constant pressure of managing feelings and expectations of strangers you have just met in addition to your own.

Awful.

Just awful.

Despite his inherent discomfort when it came to dating, he had been on his fair share of dates ranging from the exciting to the downright painful, but never had he tried to do three first dates in three days. Of course, Yugi’s new companion could just be a friend, but their awkward stiff postures were damning.

“Oh hey Atem! You’re working again?”

Atem looked up from the drink he was making. “Oh yes, a side effect of owning the Rise and Grind, I suppose.”

“You own this place?”

The excitement in Yugi’s voice filled the shop with one more, albeit temporary, source of merry. Atem finished off the swirl atop the toffee latte and placed it at the ready for its eager owner before turning around fully to address the other. “Yes, I do.”

“Awesome! I feel a bit silly for not knowing that, actually. I own the game shop over on 3rd.”

“Really?” Atem could not hide his surprise. He had walked by that game shop for the past month ever since it had opened. Playing games with his friends was one of his favourite past times, card and board games alike, so this shop would surely be a haven for him. He had been meaning to take a look around, and if it had not been for the extra barista shifts he had been covering recently, he would have. Duty calls.

“Yeah! Nice to finally meet you, neighbour!”

That pleased smile nearly scrambled. Thankfully, though, the words came out just as he had hoped. “Is there something I can get for you and….”

The two men across the counter looked briefly at each other before the taller stuck out his hand. “Mahad. I will take a large green tea. ”

“Alright, one green tea for Mahad. And for you, Yugi?”

“Hmmm… how about an Almond Honey Flat White?”

“Excellent choice.”

Atem charged their cards and went to work. With a practiced efficiency balanced with more than a healthy dose of flourish, the hot beverages were produced. In return, Atem was gifted with a grateful smile and the two men left quietly for their table. He watched as they both sat and proceeded to stare at each other.

In silence.

Complete and utter uncomfortable silence.

A few words were offered by Yugi.

One was given in response.

Silence.

Atem could see Yugi’s shoulders shrug under his button down shirt.

He tried more words.

Again a monosyllabic response. 

It was downright agonizing to watch.

Atem realized that he had been staring for much too long at what was possibly the most cringeworthy date he had seen in a very long time. He had to get back to work. The coffee would not brew itself, and he did not want to leave the other barista with all of the work.

He refilled the beans in the grinder. Curiosity lingered. The syrups were rearranged. Curiosity prodded. Mugs were arranged and the stir sticks restocked. Curiosity piqued. No matter what task he plunged himself into, nothing could hold his attention.

Curiosity consumed.

Damnit.

He looked up. The situation had evolved into something even more dire than he had imagined.

“I am going to wipe down the tables.” Atem told the other barista, more as a polite formality than a question. The beanie clad barista nodded his acknowledgement in his general direction, and Atem took off with cloth and spray bottle in hand.

He started to clean the tables and ponder his options, his work slowly bringing him within earshot of Yugi’s table. Should he intervene on what could only be the most excruciatingly stilted date he had ever seen? He pondered the classic move of asking if they needed a refill and pulling Yugi along to help carry the mugs. Or perhaps he could be more forward and ask for Yugi’s assistance for something to pull him away from the table…

_ Why do I care? _

The question that bubbled up from his subconscious caught him off guard and nearly made him knock over the dirty glass he had just reached out to collect. Sure he had seen a bunch of bad dates before, but in these, he merely observed, sometimes with humour or sometimes with sympathy.

This time was the first time he had ever wanted to truly rescue someone.

“So do you like movies?” Yugi’s question carried, his forced ease nearly resolving the last of Atem’s willpower.

“Yes.”

A beat.

“What kind of movies?”

“Historical.”

Another beat.

Atem sucked in a quiet breath. Yugi’s inhale was a little less quiet.

“Historical movies… like biopics?”

“Historical documentaries.”

Atem’s resolve to remain quiet was nearly history itself.

“Generally I’m more interested in fantasy or thrillers, but I like documentaries as well. I usually watch the ones about games or nature, but it’s an awesome genre overall.”

This elaboration garnered no response from the other. No matter, Yugi had already proceeded to fill the void himself with more somewhat awkward rambles.

Atem started wiping the wooden tabletop in slow, wide circles as he took in all of the words that tumbled out of Yugi’s mouth. He had to admit, even though this date was certainly not going well, Yugi was still putting in a good effort. Most would have cut their losses by now.

He felt a light tap on his shoulder. The beanie clad barista poked his head into view and nodded towards the front counter. “Atem, I need help. Machine’s broke.”

Not again. That till was more temperamental than a starving cobra. Atem hummed an affirmative and collected his supplies. Just as he finished collecting his spray bottle, Yugi’s date did something entirely unexpected.

He spoke a full sentence.

Atem could not help but smile. “Impressive work, Yugi.”

***

Yugi wanted to dig himself into the ground. This was not as catastrophic per say at his date with Rebecca, or as embarrassing as his date with Mako yesterday, but this was a whole other level of awkward. He could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times he had gotten more than a three-word answer out of the other. The questions he had asked were returned simply without any originality.

He hoped Mahad was not always as to the point boring as he seemed to be. Maybe he had gotten a very bad case of nerves.

But there was absolutely nothing happening on this date.

Nothing.

Yugi had almost excused himself at one point, but the other man had done so before him, stating he was getting up early in the morning. There had been no exchange of phone numbers or even any offer for a second date, just a curt and polite goodbye. Now, as he faced down his now cold drink, Yugi kept replaying his morning conversation with Ryou.

So far, he had been on three very different dates, and he was starting to wonder how this whole algorithm behind the app worked. Maybe he had been paired with Rebecca because he mentioned he was professional. Maybe he had been paired with Mako because his profile mentioned he likes the outdoors. Maybe he had been paired with Mahad because they both shared an interest for books.

But that was only one thing about him. One minute detail within his whole personality.

He was staring outside the large window framed with delicate Christmas lights and wooden ornaments when a voice brought him out of his reflection.

“Would you care for a pick-me-up?”

He turned around to face Atem who was holding two empty mugs and a steaming pot of freshly brewed coffee. Yugi blinked a couple of times before surveying the rest of the café. Most patrons were gone except for two lonely people sitting alone at different tables. Another barista was behind the counter, cleaning up for the evening.

“May I sit?” the barista asked, motioning to the now empty chair across Yugi.

The purple-haired man just laid his chin on his hands, amethyst focused on garnets. “Depends. Are you going to stare at me in silence too or am I actually going to get a decent conversation out of this?”

Atem smiled down at him as he handed him a mug before sitting down. “We could have a staring contest,” he started as he poured coffee into both their cups. “But I’d much prefer just a casual talk.”

Yugi grabbed a goblet of cream from the bowl set on the table and watched as Atem added one to his coffee too. He delicately swirled his spoon to mix cream and coffee together before setting it down next to his mug. He brought his drink to his lips and watched as the barista did the same.

After all the insanity he had faced over his previous evenings, this calm no-pressure atmosphere felt relaxing.

Atem cleared his throat after his sip. “So hum, third date in three days?” he said before adding with a smirk: “You’re a brave one.”

Yugi rolled his eyes while sighing. “More like a desperate one.”

“Why is that?” the barista prompted.

The customer played with his mug, watching the coffee swirl gently against the white ceramic. At this point, being honest about his whole endeavour seemed like the best route to take. Atem did not need anything for him really, and it might help to get this all off his chest. “I need a date… for my childhood friends’ wedding on Christmas Eve.”

Atem, who had been taking another sip, almost spat it out right onto the table as he choked on it. “Who would purposely decide to get married on Christmas Eve?” he replied after managing to swallow his mouthful without more fuss.

At the question, Yugi hid behind his mug, a flush of embarrassment tainting his cheeks. “Them. But mostly her, I’d say. And he would never say no to her so…”

There was a pause as Atem seemed to process the information that was just given to him. Yugi wondered if the other would laugh at him, or try to talk him into taking anyone he could find to the wedding at this point, but he hoped that he would just listen to him and his crazy project instead of passing judgement. 

He almost jumped in joy when the other simply stated the facts back to him without any criticism or unwanted advice. “Okay, so you need a date.”

At this point, he also realised he would need to explain the rest of his plan if he wanted this conversation to go further. He felt he owed it to Atem if he was going to witness the parade of dates he was about to bring to his establishment. “My best friend works for a company that just promoted their new dating app…”

Without further delay, Yugi launched into his story of how he had agreed to sign up for both his sake and his friend’s data collection. He mentioned he did not necessarily think he would find love or anything, but that he was mostly looking for someone to spend an agreeable evening with. He held back on his deeper feelings about his quest, how he naively hoped that somehow or some way, this could lead to something… more.

To his greatest surprise, Atem did not even chuckle as he told his story. He just nodded politely and smiled when he was done. But there was something so genuine about that smile, something so sincere, that for a brief second, Yugi had to blink to maintain his composure.

“So basically, you’re dating your way through the advent calendar, is that it?” Atem provided as a summary of it all.

Yugi nodded in reply. “Yes, and so far, it’s been less than jolly.”

The smirk that appeared on the corner of the barista’s lips was playful. “I can see that. Although the fellow yesterday looked… thalassic? Or would you say he was more fishy?”

Yugi’s eyes bugged at the obvious jab. “Stop laughing at me!” he exclaimed.

Atem feigned innocence. “I’m not. Okay, perhaps I am,” he confessed with a smile. He took another sip before his interest resurfaced. “But now I’m curious: why have all your dates been here?”

Now that was an easier question to answer. There had been no arguing from him as to why he should have his dates at the café. “Okay, so the logical answer is that coffee shops are the best places for first dates. They’re low key, cheap, and convenient for both talking and ending the date earlier if it doesn’t go well.”

He thought for a few seconds before completing his response. “But on a more personal level, I’d also say because this place has the best coffee in town and the service is impeccable.” He did not know what compelled him to add: “and there’s this nice barista that actually owns the place, seems like a great guy.” 

He watched as Atem carefully took a longer sip of his coffee, the blinking Christmas lights from highlighting the contours of his face. For a quick second, he thought he saw a very faint blush appear, but it was gone in a flash. A confident smile grew to grace the other’s lips. “I’ll take the compliment, thank you very much,” he said almost cockily.

Yugi laughed at this and Atem joined him. It actually felt good to just laugh without any pretense and drink coffee without any expectations. “So yeah, sorry you’ll have to witness many more of these,” the customer explained.

Atem just leaned forward on his elbows, almost like he wanted to divulge a secret to the other. “You know, maybe I could help? I could be your emotional support barista if you need it.”

Yugi blinked at the suggestion as he considered it. It might prove helpful to have an ally if things went south, someone who could help him or cheer him on. This whole dating thing was quite a hassle and not facing it alone felt reassuring. “Tell you what? I think I’d like that.” He smirked. “Might not be an easy job though.”

The barista raised an eyebrow, but that confident smile was still there. “I’m not afraid of a challenge.”

The other chuckled as he reached for his mug again. “Then welcome to the joy ride!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Tumblrs:  
> [xauroraxborealisx](https://xauroraxborealisx.tumblr.com/)  
> [Atems-leather-pants](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com/)


	5. Irish Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 15th - T minus 9 days

Yugi groaned once.

Then twice.

Then thrice for good measure.

Two very agonizing thoughts pierced through his foggy morning mind as he tried to gather the energy to get up. Why the heck had he agreed to sign up for a dating up at all, even knowing his current situation was desperate? And also, why had he suddenly emptied his whole jar of suffering to a complete stranger?

Okay, so maybe Atem could not be considered that much of a stranger anymore. First of all, they both used their names, which was more than what Yugi could say about the majority of baristas he had met in his life. Second of all, Atem had been nice and open with him from the start, just going along with whatever request or funny situation he had found himself in. Third of all, he had noticed how down he had been yesterday and had come around to offer comfort and coffee.

So what if it was his job to make sure his customers were happy? He could have just asked if Yugi was okay, but instead he had taken some time to sit down and talk. And Yugi would be damned if he did not relinquish the fact that this conversation had been the highlight of his date, and probably the highlight of his previous evenings too.

But that did not mean he did not currently feel very ashamed about how this new acquaintance of his now knew about his endeavour to find himself a wedding date through a cheesy dating app. Atem had merely smiled. He had not even laughed at him. Just smiled.

And just with that notion, somehow, the prospect of facing yet another unpredictable date with an algorithmically selected person seemed to make him less miserable.

He quickly texted Ryou about his progress, promising to call him later that day for more details. Just as he was about to set his phone down, the jingle for the Advent Match app chimed. Yugi hesitated before opening the gift, and when he finally did, a small smile managed to appear on his lips.

This time, it was not a professional headshot nor a random picture, but a very well-taken selfie. And a smile. A real one! Now if that was not refreshing for a change!

Yugi managed to pull himself up to sit under pure hope and optimism alone. At least it was comforting that if this date ended up being a disaster, there would at least still be good coffee.

And perhaps good company, if the barista felt like a short chat again.

***

The hiss of the steamer filled the air. The faint aroma of nutmeg and vanilla from the steamed eggnog danced around Atem as if led by the sugar plum fairy herself. With each passing day, there were more and more orders from the festive side of the menu. The eggnog latte was one of the crowd favourites and Atem was finding it increasingly hard to not pour himself a glass of ‘nog between orders. That delicious wintertime drink was addictive.

The sun had just set and the day was winding to a close, but for Atem, it was just about to begin. It was almost that time of the evening when Yugi would come to the shop for his nightly date. After their conversation about the Advent Match app last night, this unusual pattern of behavior made a lot more sense.

For the tenth time this hour, Atem’s eyes skated across the patrons seated at the tables and towards the front doorway. It was still empty. No sign of Yugi or his potential date waiting in the wings.

Maybe he was delayed? Yugi had come in like clockwork the last few days, as he had picked the Rise and Grind as his designated date spot. Maybe his date had canceled? Maybe he was sick? There were a thousand and one potential answers as to why Yugi had not shown up yet, but Atem found himself hunting for a different one altogether.

_ Why am I still thinking about this? _

He had to admit that he had become oddly enthralled by this newcomer. His story was unique and arguably the most fascinating thing to happen in his coffee shop in quite some time. However, Atem knew that this was not the full reason why his mind kept wandering back to the short man with the kind, violet eyes. Something about him was different. Exciting.

Humming gently to himself, he looked up once more. In that moment, most of his questions were answered.

He caught sight of Yugi walking in the door with a girl clutching at his arm, her raven hair framing her face before cascading down beyond her shoulders. So the date tonight was happening after all! He seemed off to a good start too, there was already a blush across his cheeks.

Atem watched from afar as the two sat down at one of the window tables, Yugi pulling out the woman’s chair for her like a gentleman. Once she was settled, he took his own and within a second, the woman had already claimed his hands… which weren’t even out of his mittens yet.

Atem could not help but chuckle as he watched Yugi’s blush deepen at the contact. To his eye, this one already seemed more promising and the last three dates.

“Good for you, Yugi,” Atem murmured. Despite his sincerity, the words still fell a little flat. He turned his attention back to the tasks at hand. Customers were waiting and –

“Hey man, can you get a move on? I’m sure the boss doesn’t pay you to daydream!” a man no older than twenty whined from the collection counter.

Atem suppressed a snicker at the irony. “Coming right up, sir.”

In mere moments, the overly sweetened coffee was in the manchild’s hands and he was on his way out the door.

“He’s right, you know. The boss shouldn’t be paying you to ogle hot guys whenever they walk in through the door.” Marik’s snark permeated through the last of Atem’s joy.

“I  _ am _ the boss,” Atem reminded him, turning to his friend and employee, “Don’t you have work to do?”

“Always. You keep piling it on,” Marik’s sigh sounded more like an overly dramatic whine.

Atem merely shook his head in return, turning away from his friend to refocus on refilling the to-go cup lids.

“Hey, that’s the guy you were staring at before. Oh, Atemmmmmm _. _ ” His name was dragged out, almost purred even. “Who’s the guy, big boy?”

_ Here we go again. _

“Marik what did I say about… oh, why do I even try?”

Marik howled with laughter. “Come on! You really need to lighten up,  _ your majesty. _ ”

Atem fought the fluster threatening to catch his tongue as he reached for a mug of coffee. His friend sure knew how to get under his skin, and although Atem would usually go right to tormenting his friend in return, he had to maintain his composure for the sake of his customers. Marik knew this, and loved to take this to his advantage.

Marik walked by on his way to the till, but before he moved on and put his current tease to bed, he reached out to feel one of Atem’s biceps with an exaggerated squeeze. “Hmmm… big boy, indeed. I’m sure cutie pie over there would approve.”

At the draw and lithe of his new favourite customer’s Marik-assigned nickname, coffee cascaded from the cup in Atem’s clutch across the counter.

“Oh Atem! Are you alright? You didn’t get burned, did you?” Concerned words came from a familiar voice.

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit!

“Yugi! Hello!” Atem smiled his widest smile at the friendly face peering beyond the till. They locked eyes, and Yugi rushed over to where Atem stood.

“Here, can I…” Yugi leaned across the counter suddenly.

“Ah,” Atem murmured in surprise as both of their hands went for the paper towel dispenser beside the sink, his fingertips just brushing the back of Yugi’s hand as he grabbed the paper towel.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I just…” Yugi retracted his hand, his words demure.

“Wanted to help? Thank you,” Atem finished the thought. “I’m ok. Uh, did you want to order something?”

Yugi nodded, eyes flitting towards Atem’s hands again. 

Atem covered up his smarting and pinkened skin with the paper towel. “I will be right with you. Just give me one moment and I will meet you by the counter.”

“Ok, I’ll wait for you there.” Yugi’s words were as warm as a crackling fireplace and he could practically feel the glow of the embers. 

Atem wiped at the mess he had made as his thoughts became a mess of their own. 

Exciting indeed.

***

Yugi had not imagined the evening would go quite like this as he stared straight at the girl chatting animatedly in front of him. 

They had met a couple of blocks away from the coffee shop to enjoy the nice weather outside, a welcome change from the previous frigid days. She had looked quite enthusiastic as they had settled for a window table, which seemed to please her immensely. To his even bigger surprise, she had immediately grabbed his hands as he sat down, not even giving him the time to take off his mittens. He had flushed, not used to this provocative physical proximity at all, and pulled his hands away as soon as she released them after noticing his unease.

He had offered to get them drinks in the hopes that it would help him get his bearings. Maybe Vivian was just excited about this date and wanted to show she cared? He had glanced back her way while waiting for their drinks after chatting with Atem just a tiny bit, and she had noticed and smiled widely at him.

_ See, this is going pretty well… _ his mind reminded him as he picked up their order and headed back her way.

Suddenly, Yugi sensed a shift in the air that he initially attributed to the breeze that had just came in from the door. A strong shiver passed through him as he set down both of their beverages on the table. Vivian had her eyes on her phone, and they shone brightly like diamonds, but almost too brightly even.

“So hum… would you prefer I can you Yugi-kins or Yuyu?”

Surely he had heard her wrong.

“Because I’m just adjusting this picture and I need it to be just right.”

He laughed nervously. “Picture? What picture?”

Vivian smiled furiously and held her phone against her heart, like a treasure she kept for herself, but wanted to share oh so very badly with him too. “Oh, so I took your profile pics and mine and made a montage, wanna see?”

There was something in her eyes that scared him straight at this very moment.

“You…” he stumbled on his words “Sorry, what?”

She squealed like an excited schoolgirl and exposed what she was seemingly dying to show him on her phone. “Look! Here’s you and me, and my cat. She’s going to love you! And you’re going to love her too, I’m certain. Maybe we could drop by my place after this? I would love for you two to get acquainted as soon as possible.”

Yugi felt the colour drain from his face and his stomach drop to his feet. He was now staring at a combined photo of him, Vivian and her cat, all perfectly framed and edited, with heart stickers and a larger note with Vivi+Yuyu written in neat calligraphy.

And he could not stop staring at it as he felt the panic rise inside him like steam in a boiling kettle. Oh hell, how was he going to get out of this one? Why did Vivian have to look perfectly normal and charming on her profile pic and give him hope that this date could actually be a nice one for once?

“Let’s…uh, maybe just start with the date and see where it goes?” he suggested, surprising even himself with his leveled tone.

Vivian reached across the table and grabbed his hands forcefully. He fought the urge to wrench them away and hide them as far as possible from her. His smile was still glued to his face, like an unnatural barrier that hid his distress.

“Yeah, but, I feel this connection is already so strong between us,” she replied, stars in her eyes that could put a whole galaxy to shame. “I mean, the app paired us together, so that has to be the most obvious sign that this is meant to be.”

He managed to peel away one of his hands to reach for his mug. As soon as it touched his lips, he downed the whole contents down his throat, not even enjoying the lovely taste of the brew. He needed air. And another drink. Probably a much stronger one. Right now.

“Hum, Vivian, would you mind if I go get us a refill?” he motioned with his cup. “I’m feeling quite parched.”

The woman finally let go of his other hand to frame her face between her palms and blush madly, her lips still curved in that ever present crazed smile. “You said ‘us’, how cute and romantic!”

She watched him intently as he stood up. Yugi wanted to run out of there, but he could not do that to her. Vivian may have been bonkers, but he was a gentleman and he would not just leave her here. But if he was to survive the rest of the evening, which he hoped would come to an end sooner rather than later, he needed a moment to regroup. And maybe get support from a trusted barista.

He was barely up when she added: “Oh, we should totally have matching drinks, then we could take a picture of us drinking them and I could also add it to the montage!”

At this point, he could not do anything but nod his head nervously before turning away from her and releasing a breath he knew he had been holding. He headed straight for the counter, and fortunately for him, no one else was waiting in line.

He slapped his palms urgently against the wooden surface of the counter, causing the tricolour haired barista behind the counter to look up in confusion.

“Please tell me you serve alcohol,” he whispered under his breath, prompting the other’s eyes to widen in surprise.

“Well, technically no, but I could make you a boozed coffee, sure. Why?”

Yugi did not know why, but he glanced back towards his table, and as sure as he had thought, Vivian was looking at him like a lovesick puppy away from its master. When she noticed his eyes on her, she waved frantically and he suppressed a groan. He turned his gaze back towards Atem. “Tell you later. Just make it strong, like Jason Momoa strong.”

The other had the audacity to smirk at Yugi’s evident unease. “One mean Irish Coffee coming right up! Anything else for… hum, your lady?”

This time, the purple-haired man did let out a groan. “Anything, as long as it doesn’t come in matching cups!”

“Coming right up!” the owner of the coffee shop said as he grabbed a bottle of Bailey’s and another one of mango-flavoured syrup.

Yugi briefly wondered what Atem had decided to make and his answer came quicker than expected. His own Irish coffee looked positively divine with just a touch of whipped cream and a chocolate covered coffee bean perched on top, but the other drink… Yugi could not even begin to comprehend it.

“What in the world is that?” he asked, just too curious to know.

Atem leaned on the counter and pushed the aforementioned drink towards Yugi with a devilish smile. “That, my friend, is a Peppermint Mango Latte.”

Yugi suppressed a gag motion, but just barely. “That sounds absolutely disgusting.”

The barista nodded. “It probably is. Never tasted it myself, but someone once ordered this blasphemous abomination.” He settled his chin on his hand and looked at the other playfully. “And I believe the words you are looking for are: ‘thank you’.”

Yugi raised an eyebrow, but his smile was the first genuine one of the evening. “You know you might lose a customer with that, right?”

For a brief second, Yugi saw something flash in the barista’s eyes but it was gone in under a second, so he accused a trick of the light. Atem was once again being his friendly self and offering help he would gladly accept.

However, the words that were out of his mouth made his heart feel lighter. “Yeah, but I’m keeping the better of two, aren’t I?” the barista offered.

Yugi accused the heat from both drinks now in his hands for the warmth he felt spreading inside him. “I’d like to think you definitely are,” he offered back.

As he headed back to the table with the two drinks in hand, Vivian waved his way again and on her phone that she was animatedly pointing his way, he could clearly distinguish a Pinterest board with images and colour schemes that looked awfully like house aesthetics and wed-

_ Oh Holy Freaking Fuck… _

***

Even after getting a recharge from the Irish coffee, Atem could tell the conversation had continued to slide. The woman had begun to gesticulate widely, alternating between pointing at her phone and brandishing a day planner out of her large purse stuffed with polaroids and fabric swatches. It had taken until nearly close before Yugi could insert in a word edgewise against the swirling storm of excitement and expectations the woman embodied. Finally, Yugi caught her attention, and after polishing off his boozy coffee, he took that bold step and cut the rope that seemed to have ensnared and held him hostage.

And that bold step seemed to pay off. The look of the woman’s face was kind of priceless, he had to admit.

Now free from his most recent date who had left in an overdramatic huff, Yugi was the last of the patrons continuing to linger around the shop. Atem had already dismissed Marik, who was more than happy to oblige not having to close. As Atem finished closing the till himself, Yugi turned and caught his eye and soon, the last patron started to make his way towards the coffee shop owner.

“Hello again,” Atem smirked at the man dragging his feet all the way towards the counter, “That seemed like an, uh, interesting date.”

“Yeah, that’s one way to put it. She had our wedding colours picked out,” Yugi relayed robotically as he flopped against the counter, head against his arms, and hefted a sigh.

“Ah, a classic. Baby names too?”

“No, but future cat names though.” The reply was muffled by shirt and exhaustion. “They weren’t even good ones…”

A beat. “I’m curious, were the wedding colours decent at least?” 

“Umber and hot pink. You tell me.”

Atem laughed, the mental picture of Yugi dressed in a brown suit and a hot pink bow tie was decidedly amusing. “As much as I think you could rock a hot pink bowtie, you definitely dodged a bullet there.”

Yugi lifted his head, laughing in kind. “I’m sure I’d manage, but against your skin tone, you’d look better with the hot pink, for sure.”

Atem felt his ears go both hot and pink. “Uh, if you say so. Do you know what?”

“What?”

“Seeing as you have just survived one of the worst types of first dates of all time, I propose a pick-me-up.”

“More Irish coffee?” Yugi grinned, albeit a bit weakly.

“That could work, but I had something else in mind. Wait here.”

Atem heard Yugi’s affirmative hum as he moved towards the tray resting on the cooling wrack at the back of the preparation area. Thankfully, these tasty morsels were just cool enough to touch, yet warm enough to soothe any frazzled soul.

“So generally I try to decorate these after the shop has closed for the night, but they are still warm and there’s nothing like a good gingerbread cookie to lift the spirits.” Atem offered as he held out the tray so Yugi could see the little molasses coloured cookies.

“Oh, that would be amazing! Here —” Yugi reached down towards his pocket.

“No need! It’s on the house, and so is a glass of eggnog too, if you wish.”

For a moment Yugi seemed to struggle to find the words, his eyes bouncing between the cookies and the generous smile that accompanied them. “Oh, thank you! I’d really like that!”

Atem was more than delighted.

Two plates were filled with two cookies each. Tender, spiced bites were washed down with eggnog as they settled into a comfortable conversation about cookies, carols and colour palettes. As Yugi started sharing his favourite songs of the season, Atem gladly looked them up and made them play on the speakers of the shop, filling the place with even more cheer. And in this little bubble of holiday glee, Atem felt the world fall away, and in its place, there remained only softness and glowing warmth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Tumblrs:  
> [xauroraxborealisx](https://xauroraxborealisx.tumblr.com/)  
> [Atems-leather-pants](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com/)


	6. Chestnut Praline Espresso

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 16th - T minus 8 days

Yugi was happier than he thought he could be after such a fiasco of a date last night.

Okay, so maybe the cookies and eggnog had helped.

Well, it was probably the pleasant conversation that had accompanied such a treat that had helped even more.

He shook his head as he continued stocking the newly received game boxes onto the shelves. Atem was nice, sure. And there was no denying he was easy on the eyes.

_ Woah, brain, where is this coming from? _ Yugi thought before said brain produced the answer to his own question.

Man, who was he kidding? Atem was a gorgeous specimen of man with that bronze skin and those warm crimson eyes. Those hands that seemed both sturdy enough to work all those coffee machines and delicate enough to create beautiful intricate designs with the foam on the many lattes and cappuccinos he produced.

Yugi flushed involuntarily at the memory of the warmth that had filled him as he sat at the counter of the café last night, dipping warm gingerbread cookies in cold eggnog and laughing with the barista. There was a part of his mind that wanted to linger on this memory and bask in its warmth.

But that desire was dashed. 

Another part of his mind brought forth the image of another tanned man, but with blonde hair. One that had laid his hand around Atem’s bicep casually. One that had called him by a somewhat cute pet name. One that worked at the café and seemed pretty intimate with Atem.

He let his head fall against one of the shelves. It made total sense that Atem would have someone in his life, being the gentle and amicable person he was. No one that nice and pretty stayed alone for long. Someone was bound to snag him and hopefully treat him right. There seemed to be that kind of energy between Atem and the other barista, although he had noticed that Atem had reacted with faint annoyance at one point. Yugi felt it might have been normal seeing as the barista was also the coffee shop owner, and might have not been one for public displays of affection at his workplace.

His phone chimed, and he was reminded that he had yet to open his gift today. He had been too wrapped up in his own mind. The screen was tapped, and this time, it was the face of another man that was displayed, looking poised and elegant. He pushed back his thought about his new friend to the back of his mind and focused on messaging his new date prospect about plans for the night.

Atem may have been unavailable as a love interest, but he was still available as a friend, and right now, that mattered to him more than his insignificant minute infatuation. 

So Yugi told his brain to shut up before it could come with other arguments on this topic.

***

“So… who is he?”

Atem was currently waking through rows of Christmas pines and spruces, examining them carefully. He briefly wondered why he had forced Marik to come with him again this year, when all the other did was whine about this ‘chore’ the whole time.

He was looking at a particularly tall specimen, deciding whether this would actually fit in the shop, as he answered. “I have no idea who you’re talking about.”

Marik appeared from behind said tree shaking his head. “Don’t play dumb with me, pretty boy!” he started, pointing an accusatory finger his way. “The mysterious but hella cute customer you keep eyeing in the shop!”

Shoot, and here he thought he had been pretty subtle about it! Suddenly, he wondered if anyone else had picked up on it? Marik had always been an annoyingly observant weasel, and he just hoped that his favourite customer had not noticed his lingering gazes.

Atem knew he could not hide it any longer at this point. “Oh, hmmmm, well, his name is Yugi.”

Marik hummed as he came eye to eye with him. “And care to elaborate why you haven’t asked him out yet?” he demanded, raising an eyebrow.

Atem took a step back and whirled around, trying to hide the blush he could feel creeping up his cheeks. “He’s… preoccupied at the moment.” He took a deep breath, steadying his rapidly beating heart, diving back into business mode. “Like we should be. Help me pick out a tree,” he retorted as he started walking away.

“Wait, wait, wait! You don’t get to evade my question just like that!” Marik called from behind him before rounding up in front of him. “Beside, just pick one, they’re all the same!” he gestured to all the trees around them.

Atem sighed as he gently caressed the needles of a healthy spruce. “No, they’re not. I want a good sturdy one, one that is not going to crumble in the café after two days.”

And there was the whining he expected. “Why don’t we just go for an artificial tree and avoid this nuisance every year?”

With that comment in mind, he took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh scent of wood and snow surrounding them. “Because it’s totally different. The feel and the smell of a real one is, I don’t know, special,” he replied with a smile more for himself than anyone else.

He briefly wondered if Yugi would agree with him on that topic.

Marik nudged him playfully. “Then get one for your place instead of for the shop.”

The barista shook his head and frowned. “I can’t. Java will destroy it. I have enough trouble as it is keeping her away from a fake one.”

Marik pretended he had been shot through the heart and sighed dramatically. “Ah, Java, feline crusher of holiday spirit!”

Atem laughed as he continued his search for the tree that would be just right for his shop. He wanted it to look good, sure, but most of all, he wanted it to smell good and homey, like from his childhood Christmases.

“So now that you think you successfully dodged my question, care to elaborate why you're stalling on this crush at the moment?” Marik prompted, bringing back the topic he had tried to avoid earlier.

Atem turned to face him, making sure his point came across. “This is by no means a crush. We’re barely acquaintances at this point. Besides, he’s a man on a mission. He needs a date for a special occasion and his friend signed him up for this dating app, can’t remember the name of it though.”

The other’s eyes lit up like Christmas ornaments. “Oh, is it Advent Match?”

Atem raised an eyebrow at the correct guess. “Yes, that’s the one. How did you know?”

Once again, Marik was back in front of his face. “Because I…” he said as he booped him on the nose and winked. “…signed up for it.”

The barista was quite surprised that his best friend would actually do such a thing. He knew Marik had been on other dating apps, but they were more the swiping left or right type, not the romantically inclined ones like the one Yugi had described. “You did? Why would you do that?”

The other shrugged. “Because the holidays are supposed to be fun and I want fun.”

Atem shook his head. He should have known better than to ask, but at least his friend had granted him honesty about his own endeavour using the app. “So basically, you’re looking to get laid?”

With a swift cock of his hip, Marik slapped his own butt. “And spread these Christmas cheers around, yeah.”

The tricoloured-haired man facepalmed. “You’re incorrigible!”

Finally, right above Marik’s suggestively perked shoulder, he spotted his perfect Christmas tree. It was the right height and the embodiment of a healthy spruce perfect for the little corner in his shop! He smiled widely and went straight to it. He knew it was the one when he approached and could immediately smell the evergreen needles perfuming the air.

Marik jogged next to him and poked his cold cheek. “I prefer the term insatiable, but sure, let’s go with yours.”

Atem rolled his eyes at him before signaling one of the vendors walking around and taking out a couple of bills from his wallet to pay for the tree. As soon as the deed was done, he turned to face his friend. “Some days I debate why I keep you around. And then I remember you’re here to help me carry this tree to the shop.”

Marik waved his hand in front of him like the overdramatic friend he was. “Hell no. I signed up for shopping, not for hoisting up a prickly fire hazard on my shoulders!”

“Your earrings are pointier than this thing,” Atem provided before lifting the trunk and dropping it unceremoniously into the other’s waiting hands, as he went to handle the top of the tree.

Marik sighed heavily, but still complied with the task just like Atem knew he would. Marik may have voiced his opinions loudly and joked provocatively, but when it came down to it, he was a pretty good best friend.

And sometimes, Atem wondered if Malik was a romantic too deep down, just like him, waiting for the right person to show up and order coffee from their shop.

_ Definitely not thinking about Yugi right now… _ he pushed the thought all the way back into a famous river in Egypt.

***

At this point in time, Yugi suspected that this app was just some elaborate joke. Or, if somehow it was real, the algorithm behind it was just very faulty. He was on his fifth date and, like all the previous ones, it was some kind of disaster waiting to happen.

Ziegfried had appeared to be quite the gentleman, waiting for him in front of the café as he arrived, even opening up the door for him. They had walked over to the counter, and Atem was there again, bringing a smile to his face automatically.

However, before he even opened his mouth to greet the barista, his date had automatically ordered two espressos for them and Yugi had tried to hide his sour face. He did not dislike straight up espresso per say, but he was not a fan of it either. He had also briefly wondered why the man had ordered for him too and he was not provided with any explanation.

As if noticing his slight discomfort, Atem had offered to sweeten his concoction a bit while the pink haired man had walked to the collection counter to wait for their order. Yugi had nodded, telling him he trusted him with his order and went to step next to Zeigfried. When they were handed their cups, Yugi’s date had eyed his suspiciously since it was different from what he had ordered and commented on it briskly.

Atem had provided a quick excuse of knowing what Yugi usually ordered and explained he had mechanically just made it out of habit. Ziegfried huffed and took both of their cups, walking away towards an empty table.

“Chestnut Praline Espresso, just in case he asks what’s in it,” Atem had whispered before Yugi had followed his date.

He had flashed a quick smile in response with a subtle thumbs-up the barista’s way before finally focusing back on the man he was supposed to spend the evening with.

And then words started flowing out of Ziegfried’s mouth and Yugi was stunned into silence. His date had started commenting on everything, and not in a very nice way either. The espresso was too bitter, the decorations were too flashy and corny, the music was not entertaining enough, the chairs were uncomfortable and did not match with each other perfectly, their table was wobbly, the air was too cold or too warm, depending on how he angled his body, the other patrons were too loud.

And when he was done listing all the negative aspects, he started explaining how he would change everything and how far superior to anything else his tastes were. Yugi had not even been able to say one word yet, but he knew a lot about Ziegfried’s carefully crafted life for he had spent countless minutes detailing it as if he had built the most wonderful masterpiece. Everything the man did was better than anyone else, and no one, absolutely no one, could convince him otherwise.

When Ziegfried finally took another sip of his coffee while grimacing strongly, Yugi took the immediate opportunity that was offered to him and excused himself to go to the bathroom. However, instead of heading there, he ducked right under the edge of the counter, hoping to catch his emotional support barista and garner his help to save him somehow.

But Atem was not the one who noticed him first. The other barista, the blonde one who was probably also Atem’s boyfriend, did a double take as he noticed him. A kittenish smile appeared on his lips as he spoke.

“Oh Aaaaaaaaaatem, a cutie pie just hid behind our counter.” He then motioned for both Yugi to come out and for the other barista to approach. “Come say hi, Cutie Pie!”

Yugi did not mind the nickname at all in the moment and just mentally begged that Marik had not attracted the attention of his date and gave away his hiding place.

A friendly face appeared above him. “Oh, hello there!” Atem offered, confusion in his gaze.

Yugi instantaneously reached up to grab his arm, pulling the barista to the ground next to him. He knew this was childish, but his desperate need to evade Ziegfried at this point was overwhelming. “Hush, I don’t want him to find out I’m not really in the bathroom!”

The blonde barista raised a quizzical eyebrow, looking down at the now two men kneeling behind the counter. “And why exactly are you not in the bathroom?” he asked.

Atem frowned and noticed the chime of the bell indicating a new customer coming in. “Marik, get back to work.”

“Okay, handsome,” the one now known to Yugi as Marik offered with a wink towards his boss.

Atem rolled his eyes, but Yugi could not find it in him to giggle at the moment, focused on his own distress. “Please save me,” he asked with clasped praying hands.

The barista lifted himself to a crouch to peer at Yugi’s date as subtly as possible and then his gaze came back down to the hidden customer. “He doesn’t look that bad.”

Yugi groaned loudly. “All he does is talk about himself… and whine about everything else.”

The other nodded slowly, but had yet to offer anything to help him out. “Okay, so he’s a narcissist with a side of pessimism. Nothing the optimist in you can’t handle.”

“Atem…” he trailed out, feeling very much like a child at this instant.

“Now who’s the whiny one?” the barista replied with a smirk.

Yugi slapped his shoulder lightly, his words carrying the urgency of his situation. “You’re not funny! This isn’t funny!”

And Atem looked like he was having the time of his life, still smiling. “I kind of think it is.”

The customer let his head fall against the metal surface of the side of the counter with a thud. “Why did I ever think you would be useful in this situation?”

Atem had the audacity to gaze at him innocently. “Because I’m your local charming emotional support barista?”

Yugi’s eyes grew wide with authority and he slapped the other’s shoulder again. “Then act like it!”

***

Atem had to say he never would have imagined such a situation to ever happen in his life. Honestly, he had found the image of Yugi crouching behind the café’s counter to avoid his date hilarious and actually very cute. He had fought a blush when he had been pulled to his level and had immediately shooed Marik away as soon as he had the opportunity so that his friend would not make anymore stupid jokes about Yugi in his presence.

And he found this whole situation even more hilarious as he walked towards this snotty pink haired man waiting for Yugi’s improbable return at the small table.

“Excuse me, sir,” he offered as an opening. “I believe your companion had to leave because of an emergency. He told me to tell you he was sorry.”

His comment brought an expeditious dramatic sigh out of the man’s mouth. “Well, what a waste of precious time this has been.”

And that was it. No ‘thank you’ or anything else as Yugi’s now former date took another sip of his probably cold espresso and went back to ignoring the barista, formally ending their very brief interaction. Atem backed away slowly, almost comically, and ended up walking like that all the way back to the counter.

“You were right. He’s… something, alright,” he said as Yugi came back into his periphery, still sitting behind the counter.

His customer propped up and looked at the man who had yet to even move from his position since Atem had announced the news. “Jesus Christ, why is this idiot not leaving?” he heard Yugi hiss under his breath.

For a second, he just stared at Yugi, his hair neatly pulled into a ponytail today, and his eyes shining like a child about to get caught doing something wrong. He shook the image away from his mind and cleared his throat.

“You did say we had great coffee…” he offered to the hidden man.

Yugi nudged him from the side, his head way too close to his butt for him to ignore the heat he felt coming up on his cheeks. “I still stand by this, but now’s not the right moment to remind me!” he heard the other man say.

A harsh screech carried over the ambience of the shop, alerting Atem to look at the patrons. Ziegfried had suddenly pushed his chair back roughly and got up, grabbing his coat. Yugi immediately ducked back behind the counter to avoid an even more awkward situation. Atem fought the urge to laugh once again at the whole thing.

Pulling himself back into business mode, Atem once again focused on doing his job as a barista as Marik whistled and prepared another flat white. He caught his friend’s eyes for a moment and the sheer frolicsome glint in his gaze told him he would be in deep trouble the second Yugi was out of earshot. His best friend would certainly not leave this alone. Ever.

“Is it safe to come out now?” a hushed whisper came from below.

He risked a quick glance down and knew he should not have. The juvenile hope in Yugi’s eyes was just too precious for his heart not to skip a minute beat. He quickly turned his eyes back onto the stranger who was heading towards the door.

“A few more seconds and he’ll be…” he started before cutting himself promptly. “Oh wait, he’s coming back.”

Yugi seemed just as curious as he was about the sudden return of Ziegfried to their table. “What’s he doing?” he asked.

Atem could not believe what he was seeing, but at the same, could not say he was all that surprised at the action. “He’s taking back his tip from the table. Asshole.”

This time, Yugi was the one who laughed at his misfortune. “Told you so.”

And Yugi’s laughter made his heart skip a beat again.

Damn.

***

Yugi ended up ordering another chestnut praline espresso since he had been too shocked to actually drink the one Atem had offered him. He hummed appreciatively as the comforting combination of bitter espresso, creamy milk and sweet syrup hit his tongue. Atem had also given him one of the newspapers the café received daily and he was now finishing the crossword after also completing all of the word and number games offered in it.

The lights above him dimmed and he finally noticed he was once again the last customer in the café. Christmas soft folk music was still playing, keeping a warm atmosphere around him.

“Since I helped you today, mind helping me in return?”

He did not even have time to answer that question before a box of Christmas decorations was placed on his table delicately. Atem had a few garlands wrapped around his neck and looked pretty…

_ Distracting. _

_ NO! _

_ Pretty…merry. That’s much better, brain! _

Atem did look pretty merry and festive, inquiring about Yugi’s help. “This tree won’t decorate itself,” he finished, pointing towards the corner of the café where a beautiful spruce stood proudly.

For a second, Yugi was in awe and walked towards it like a child on Christmas morning. An delightful aroma filled his nose immediately and he sighed in enchantment. His fingers ran along the needles to make sure he had picked up on the scent correctly.

“I thought I smelled something wonderful,” he said, his voice filled with glee.

“What do you mean?” Atem asked, appearing next to him with the box back in hand.

Yugi turned to him with a smile brightly lighting his face. “You got a natural tree for your café.”

The barista cocked his head to the side and laughed somewhat nervously. “Yeah, call me old-fashioned.”

It was now Yugi’s turn to show his nerves as he scratched the back of his neck. “No, I mean, I love it. I can’t have a natural one at home…” he trailed.

And to his greatest surprise, Atem completed his thought. “… because your cat would wreck the halls instead of deck them?”

Purple eyes went wide at the very correct guess. “How did you know?”

For a second, Atem was stunned into silence, but he seemed to recover quickly. “I was actually joking. You have a feline beast of your own?”

The customer nodded and a smirk appeared at the corner of his lips. “Yeah, a calico called Sudoku. She’s a real piece of work.”

Atem chuckled softly as he started arranging the garlands on the tree, using a chair to hoist himself high enough to start at the top. “Mine’s a cunning little jaguar named Java. No more natural trees for me either.”

Yugi realised that they were alone in the café, not for the first time, but he knew Marik, the other barista, had been working this evening. He briefly pondered asking about his whereabouts, but refrained himself. Maybe he could just enjoy this evening without looking too much into everything. Just him and Atem decorating a Christmas tree and talking. It would actually be quite nice after the few horrible dates he had to go through these past few days, maybe put a balm on his bruised positivity.

Like the cookies and eggnog from yesterday.

He handed a few decorations from the box over to Atem to hang while he was still perched on the chair. Yugi eyed each of them individually before passing them on, each one unique and beautiful. He really needed to put up his tree soon, even though it would not fill his apartment with that wonderful touch of nature like this one did to the café.

“Now I understand why you went natural with this one then,” he offered to keep their conversation going.

Atem got down from his chair and picked another decoration from the box. He took a deep appreciative breath. “Yeah, I missed that fresh smell of pine.”

Yugi let his finger glide along the branch delicately after handing him a frosted pine cone. “I miss it too.” He turned around to the barista with a smirk. “Might have to come hang around your café everyday then.”

Atem raised a snarky eyebrow and gave his own smirk at Yugi. “Isn’t that what you already do?”

Yugi laughed wholeheartedly. “Touché, Atem. I used to visit just for the coffee, now I’ll visit for the tree too.”

And he would not admit it out loud, or even to himself honestly, but he would also visit for the barista.

As a friend.

Just a friend.

_ Yup, no denial here _ **_…_ ** _ Shut up, brain. _


	7. Biscotti Frappuccino

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 17th - T minus 7 days

After last night, Yugi did not want to get out of bed.In fact, he debated never getting out of bed again.

By some miracle, Yugi managed to extricate himself from the cozy and captivating embrace of his duvet and managed to carry himself on half asleep feet to the bathroom. Even though the end of his evening was wonderful, it did not fully erase the frustration surrounding his latest horrible date. Actually, the last  _ five _ horrible dates. 

Yugi brushed his teeth as he stared into his unkempt reflection. What had possessed him to think that going on twelve first dates in twelve days was a good idea? He was only five dates in, not even technically half way, and he was nearly at the end of his rope. He did not know how many more self centered or narcissistic people he could take.

Yugi’s phone let out a chime, a soft tinkle of bells, to announce the arrival of a new text message. It had to be Ryou. Who else would text him this early? For a moment, Yugi debated ignoring his phone, but stewing over bad dates and lost causes would not help him. Maybe Ryou would know what to do. Yugi spat and rinsed, then reached for his phone.

**> You’re halfway there today! Although maybe with some luck your date last night was all you needed.**

**> No such luck. I swear this algorithm does not get me at all.**

**> That’s really too bad. Don’t give up though!**

**> Trying not to.**

**> There has to have been something good to come of this so far?**

Well, there was one good thing.

Yugi groaned aloud and locked his phone. Thinking of that situation made him want to hop right back in bed, pull the duvet up over his head and never leave. Atem was something good. Really good. It was not everyday that you find someone as sweet, funny and thoughtful like Atem. They even got along so well! They just seemed to get each other. Although, from what he overheard from Atem’s conversations with Marik, Atem was not available. From all of the flirty nicknames and touching, those two seemed more than just coworkers. It was too bad that this one decidedly very good thing was out of his reach.

In a way, this ‘good thing’ was even more disheartening than the bad dates.

Why did dating have to be so hard?

Yugi braced his hands against the counter top as he leaned forward to gaze at his own reflection in the mirror.

“Maybe today will be better,” Yugi told himself, “maybe today I will find someone to help me forget about Atem.”

He said the words with conviction, but a small part of him did not believe them. No matter his trepidation, though, he had to try. He had gotten this far, he might as well see it though. Just as he built up enough resolve to leave the bathroom and start his day, his next daily present from the Advent Match app appeared on his phone. The app was opened and the gift was received. What was inside, however, was dubious in its label as a gift.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…”

****

Today, Yugi was early. He was so early in fact that Atem nearly missed him walking in while he was taking inventory of the syrups. The only reason why he clued in that Yugi had arrived was because of Marik. His friend had decided to make it well known that the cute, not-so-newcomer with the tricoloured hair had come back for date number five.

“Atem, there’s something hot in the shop tonight and it’s not the chocolate.” Marik susserated. 

Atem looked up from the syrups. “Hmm?”

“You know, a little something to add a snap to your gingersnap.”

Atem stared at his friend in utter perplexity. “What are you talking about?”

Marik was undeterred. “You know, someone who you want to snog while having some ‘nog.”

Atem blinked.

“A package for your stocking?” Marik insinuated.

“Are you alright?”

The blonde huffed in irritation and swatted at Atem’s shoulder. “Oh for fuck’s sake, Atem! Yugi’s here.”

“Why didn’t you just start with that instead of all of that strange, holiday nonsense?” Atem shook his head slightly before turning to pay exquisite attention to the two thirds filled raspberry syrup.

“Oh come on! Those were good ones too! Don’t play dumb with me!” Marik threw his hands in the air in exasperation before turning back to the almond milk latte he was crafting.

Of course Atem knew. But there was no good in letting Marik know he knew. This was one of those conversations you did not want to touch with a ten foot stick, especially within the prying eyes and ears of customers. There was no telling what Marik could say… or do, for that matter. For now, there was no way that he would even indulge his friend with any more information. After all, Yugi was preoccupied with these Advent Dates, which was a helpful way to keep his own mind off of these things and was more than helpful for getting Marik off his back. He hoped. So far, his friend was much too intuitive for his own good.

Marik continued his press. “So if you’re going to be all emotionally constipated about it, at least go say hi to him or something. The guy seems to like you.”

“He’s waiting for his date,” Atem informed succinctly as he moved away from the source of his growing headache, “Whom I’m sure will be here any minute now.”

“Yeah, but you could be  _ his  _ date one of these days.”

Atem shrugged slightly as he topped the white chocolate mocha in front of him with whipped cream. “It seems like he’s taking this app quite seriously, and Yugi, well, he still has many dates to go through.”

“Just keep telling yourself that, handsome.” Marik pulled up beside him. “But you two are sickeningly sweet together. And really, you two seemed to get along so nicely when you were setting up the tree last night.”

That got Atem’s attention. “I thought you had already left for your date.”

“I was on my way out, but I couldn’t help but catch a glimpse of your little interior design session. Anyways, I think you are writing this off much too quickly. Maybe you could be the date he’s looking for?”

The date he’s looking for? The question echoed in Atem’s mind, reverberating and permuting as such strange and foreign realizations often did.

Oh.

“I have an idea,” Atem announced.

“Are you actually going to listen to me for once?” Marik’s eyes went wide. “You’re going to ask him out?”

“No,” Atem said simply, as Marik crumbled against the counter top, “like I said before, he’s only really dating from this app and I don’t want to overstep my bounds. It’s a different idea.”

“And this is why you’re still single,” Marik lamented in a grumble.

“What was that?”

Marik peeled himself off of the counter to fix his friend with a stare reeking of disappointment. “Oh nothing. What’s your plan, ‘Tem?”

Before Atem had a chance to respond, he watched Marik’s gaze flit towards the till. When it returned to capture his own, disappointment was replaced with something far, far more disconcerting.

Faster than a blink, Marik reached out and grabbed Atem by the shoulders. Before he could even realize what was happening, Atem was spun and pushed towards the till where Yugi was waiting patiently. How long had he been standing there for? How much had he heard? Atem’s thoughts swirled in befuddlement for a moment as Marik pressed up against his back, arching his neck to whisper in his ear.

“Remember what I said, lover boy.”

He felt Marik push off with a laugh and leave to cause chaos elsewhere. Chuckling lightly, Atem smiled and greeted his new favorite customer.

“You’re here early today.”

“Yeah, my daily date and I decided for a late afternoon meet up,” Yugi explained, rubbing at the back of his neck, eyes drifting down to the small glass tip jar beside the till.

This was strange. Usually Yugi was much cheerier than this and Atem could not help but notice the distant tone in the other’s voice. “How… how are you doing?”

“Hmmm?” Yugi blinked, “Oh, good. I’m just a little tired today, I guess.”

“Oh, well I can help with that.” Atem smiled and nodded up towards the board displaying all of the caffeinated goodness his shop had to offer.

That got a small chuckle out of Yugi. “Yeah, I’m sure a coffee would help. Hmmmm… oh, is that one new?”

Yugi pointed up towards the frozen drinks section, and although Atem could not entirely follow his finger, he knew exactly what the other was inquiring about. “Ah yes, the biscotti frappuccino. It’s one of our own concoctions. It’s pretty good, if I say so myself.”

“Ok, I will take one of those and a large hot chocolate with extra marshmallows.”

“Coming right up!”

***

Yugi carefully carried the mug overflowing with marshmallows and his own beverage back towards the table he had claimed. Even though his frosted drink was delightful, Yugi’s spirits had not been raised as much as he had hoped. He had gone about his day as usual, his bustling game shop providing a welcome distraction to preoccupy his mind. However, when he closed down early for the day in preparation for his upcoming date, his apprehension flared anew. He was not one to write off something before even trying it, but even his optimism was starting to wear down. At least, by showing up for this date he would get to see Atem.

He roughly pulled at the mental lever to switch the tracks of this train of thought. Atem was unavailable. Simple as that. There was no good to come by dwelling on this! His favourite barista’s beau’s most recent public display of affection reminded him of this cruel reality. No matter, he would find a date for his friends’ wedding and they could be friends.

Yugi nodded to himself as he set the drinks down and sat in anticipation for his date’s arrival. Even though the picture of his new date left something to be desired, who knew? This could be the one he was looking for!

Yugi looked up and saw someone. Well, he was certainly  _ someone. _

A short man wearing a russet coloured beanie clad in a trenchcoat had appeared opposite Yugi. Despite being indoors, the man was wearing sunglasses, a small tuft of purple hair falling across its bridge.

“Are you Yugi Mutou?” the man inquired, his nasally voice filling Yugi’s ears.

“Yes, I am. You must be Rex.” Yugi stood up and offered his hand. The man in the trenchcoat froze then reluctantly grasped Yugi’s hand.

“Ah, yes. Nice to meet you,” the man said, “Oh good, you grabbed me the hot chocolate.”

“Yup, as requested.” Yugi waved towards the mug. “Shall we, uh, sit?”

“Yes.”

The man in the trenchcoat woodenly pulled out his chair and only after settling in did he remove his sunglasses. The beanie and trench coat stayed securely equipped. Yugi found this particularly odd, but refused to let this deter him. Maybe Rex was just nervous?

“So have you been to this coffee shop before?” Yugi asked, trying out a new and hopefully easy icebreaker.

He watched as the man across from him stiffened for a moment, his eyes darting briefly towards the table before meeting his own again. “No. I’ve never been here.”

Yugi took his own pause. Was this going to be one of those painfully slow dates? Hopefully not. He’d had enough of those for one lifetime. “Well, a friend showed me this place a week ago and it’s become one of my new favourite spots for a cup of coffee!”

“That’s great.” Rex replied, a hand reaching up to adjust his beanie. “You… look great.”

“Uh, thank you.” Yugi chuckled.

A beat, then the other spoke again. “I also want to ask how your day is going?”

“Uh, good.” Yugi took the stilted question in stride. “I own a game shop just a few blocks away from here. We are getting really busy as Christmas nears. Everyone is looking for gifts this time of year and we have some of the newest board games stocked.”

“Yes… that’s interesting.”

_ He’s really nervous _ , Yugi thought to himself as he watched the other fidget with his hat again, pulling it down further over his ears. The poor guy looked like he was second guessing every word he said as he spoke them.

“Do you have any games featuring… dinosaurs?”

“Actually, yeah. There’s this cooperative game where you travel back in time and have to work together with your friends to stop an asteroid from hitting earth and wiping out the dinosaurs.”

This seemed to garner his date’s attention, words flowing freely now. “That sounds super cool! Did you know that scientists think that the asteroid was about fifteen kilometers wide! That’s one big rock. Really though, we can’t know how they were actually wiped out. There’s still climate change and don’t get me started on the theory that a volcano wiped these awesome creatures out. Like come on, does anyone actually believe that?”

Yugi sat back in his chair as his date proceeded to go on a fifteen minute monologue about dinosaurs and their extinction. No matter how hard he tried, he could not insert a word in edgewise. The facts and opinions just kept coming, while the man occasionally swiped at his beanie and tugged at his ear. Yugi liked passionate people, but this was over the top. Although, it was decidedly entertaining. Not as poetic as Mako’s ocean praise, but entertaining still. And just as disturbingly awkward.

Finally, the small, excitable man started to lose steam. “And that’s why the common avian ancestor link is so cool… fine, I will. What do you like to do during the holiday season?”

The whiplash from the sudden change of topics was nearly discombobulating, but it did not disguise something else from Yugi. “Uh sorry, I think I misheard you there. You said something that sounded like ‘fine’?”

“Fine. I’m fine. I’m done.” The man waved his hand dismissively, smiling a crooked smile. “Favourite holiday thing, go!”

Yugi blinked in astonishment. For being so nervous initially, this was a very strange change of pace. “Uh, I like a lot of it. The cozy drinks, decorating trees, eating gingerbread… spending time with loved ones. All of it, really.”

“Neat.”

When a reciprocal answer was not offered spontaneously, Yugi lobbed the question back at the other. “Uh, do you have a favourite part of the holiday season?”

“Well, I found this advent calendar that gives you little dinosaur figurines. December first was this amazing brontosaurus, December second was a Corytho— will you just stop already!? Men love dinosaurs!”

_ What the fuck? _

Yugi could hear a faint crackle of static above the ambient noise of the shop. His date recoiled at the noise, his head snapping around to scan the rest of the tables. “Owww! Do you have to be so loud!? No way, dinosaurs are much sexier than insects! Just look at him, Weevil. He’s all hot and bothered now after hearing about them!”

Well, Yugi may not have been hot but he sure was bothered by this outburst. His wide eyed flummoxed gaze never left the dinosaur dork.

“Stop trying to get me to talk about bugs!” Rex stamped his foot on the ground. “I don’t even know why I ask for your help!”

Yugi watched in mute stupefaction as his date reached up to the ear he had been tugging, ripped out a little device and threw it onto the table. “Good riddance!”

“Hey! What did you do that for?” A yell from across the store caused a hush to befall its patrons.

Yugi turned to see a tiny man standing at a table, his arms crossed and his mouth twisted into a pout. His bowl cut green hair and horn rimmed glasses made him look childlike.

“You’re hopeless and should be grateful that I’m offering my  _ superior _ love advice!” the green haired man screeched.

“Oh shut up, bug boy! Look what you’ve done, you’ve scared my date!” Rex thrust a hand in a bewildered Yugi’s direction.

“I… _ I  _ scared your date?! He was looking for an out two minutes into your dinosaur rant, you bird brain! This wouldn’t have happened if you just talked about bugs like I was instructing you to!”

“No, it would have been  _ worse _ !” Rex grabbed his sunglasses off the table and stood up, “I’m leaving. This was a waste of time.”

“Not without me, you aren’t!” The bug enthusiast screeched again. “Wait up!”

Rex huffed and made his way towards the door without so much as a goodbye to his date, the little green-haired man hot on his heels.

Well.

That was new.

Yugi could not fight the bubble of laughter threatening to burst free. He folded against the table in a full fit of giggles, the laughs so strong they brought tears to his eyes. What the fuck had just happened?

“Yugi! Yugi, are you ok?”

A familiar deep voice cut through his laughing fit. Yugi raised watery eyes to see Atem staring down at him, his features tight with worry.

Yugi worked hard to catch his breath. “Oh… hah… yeah, I’m ok! Please tell me you heard all of that?”

“Part of it. I heard your date and someone else in a yelling match about bugs and dinosaurs… what happened?”

“You won’t believe me even if I told you. It’s a real ride.” Yugi gazed up at the barista with a smile. “If you’ve got a moment…?”

“For you, anytime.” Atem’s worry seemed to fade, that small smirk that never failed to send Yugi aflutter reappearing on those handsome features. He sat down across from Yugi. “Go ahead.”

“Well, first off, what do you know about dinosaurs?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know all that much.” Atem replied.

It was Yugi’s turn to smirk. “Well, get ready. I now know more than I ever wanted to know about them and now you will too.”

As Yugi settled into telling his tale, the twists and turns capturing Atem’s rapt attention, for the first time today he felt energized. Excited. And it was not because of the coffee.

***

Yugi had left but a few minutes ago. He had chatted animatedly with Atem right after another catastrophic date, but even if it had been a total fiasco, his spirits had seemed higher than when he had come into the café earlier. The barista was used to his favourite staying until closing time for the past few nights, but he had seen the dark circles under Yugi’s eyes and his exhaustion had been evident when he had stifled three yawns within a minute.

The other patrons had started filtering out as usual and he was left with Marik to tend to the dirty tables and mugs. He was wiping a table when he noticed his best friend was typing furiously on his phone, evidently upset.

“Everything alright?” Atem asked while approaching him.

Marik quickly pocketed his phone and started wiping the counter again, completely ignoring the fact that it was already clean. “No, my date just canceled on me.”

Atem just nodded absentmindedly. He knew his friend was on Advent Match, but he had said it was mostly for casual fun, so really, one cancellation did not really seem like that big of a deal. “Well, there’s always tomorrow.” And for all the times Marik poked at him about his lack of sex life, Atem decided to return the favour with a quick jab. “Or is your libido that hyped?”

The sound of porcelain saucers being piled a bit too loudly startled him. He turned around, but Marik had his back to him. “You realised this is also a dating app, right?” he heard the other reply.

Atem snickered and started hanging the clean mugs on a series of hooks under the wooden shelves. Who was Marik kidding, of course he knew that! It was the conundrum of his existence right now. “Like I did not know that. I’m the emotional support barista for Yugi, remember?”

His friend chuckled dryly and finally swiveled around to face him. There was some unreadable emotion on his face, something that surprised Atem somehow. Marik crossed his arms before replying: “Only because you won’t make a move on him.”

Something stirred inside of him, very close to frustration. However, a flash of insight told him that maybe he was aiming his frustration at the wrong person. He pushed it back beneath the surface, not wanting to focus on it. Instead, he went for what he usually did best and denied it once more. “Well, maybe I don’t want to make a move on him,” he simply offered with a shrug.

At his comment, Marik snorted and went back to checking the level of the various milk jugs they had in the small fridges. “Yeah, keep lying to yourself, Atem,” he let out.

The tricolour haired man was tired of this already. He felt like his friend just kept trying to push his buttons for no goddamn reason and it was really starting to irk him. “I mean, Yugi is looking for something with this app. Something meaningful.” He knew he should not add the next words he thought about but he did it anyway. “Unlike you,” he muttered under his breath.

There was a loud clash on the floor as a half-empty carton of almond milk succumbed to gravity, Marik failing to catch it as his hands slipped around it. There was a long beat of silence before the blonde spoke up, his voice tainted with bitterness. “What did you just say?”

The milk spread, making a messy puddle on the tiles, but none of the two men bent down to take care of it. Instead, Atem was suddenly jostled into an impromptu staring contest that felt more exactly like a wrestling match of the minds.

Maybe it was the tiredness he felt from the past couple of busy days. Maybe it was the constant taunting Marik put him through. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the fact that Marik just seemed more comfortable with his own dating life than he could ever hope to be. But the reply that came out of his mouth was harsh and he knew it. “I said, he’s not looking for just a hook-up on a cold winter night.”

“Are you judging me right now?” his friend asked.

The flash of hurt in Marik’s eyes should have been a big enough warning for him to stop right there. But unfortunately, he did not.

“Well, isn’t that why you signed up?”

Marik was quiet. Too quiet. And that was a first.

And Atem instantly regretted what had just happened between them.

Ever so slowly, Marik peeled off his apron and with a harsh whip of his wrist, threw it on the counter. Still in the heaviest silence that had ever fallen between them, he walked to grab his coat and quickly put it on, picking up his boots instead of even putting them on. He went for the door and, as his hand reached for the handle, Atem let out one single word.

“Listen…”

Marik wiped around brutally, his eyes glistening from anger and dejection. “No, you listen! Maybe I signed up for my own personal fucking reasons and I do not feel like sharing them with my egocentric judgmental best friend!”

Atem felt so small right now, and he just wanted to take everything back. “Marik, I-“

A hand was lifted, effectively halting his reply as his friend went on. “You know what, Atem? Fuck you! I hope you’ll get your head out of your ass one day where everything is all shitty sunshine and rainbows and fucking denial!”

By now, a single tear had escaped from Marik’s eyes and was trailing down his cheek, and Atem felt so guilty his stomach started to churn. He had not wanted to hurt his best friend, he really had not. But he did. And right now, he felt so powerless in this situation.

He felt like such an asshole.

He tried getting a word in one last time before Marik was out the door. He did not want to leave things this way between them. “Wait-“

But it was already too late. Marik cut him off once again, not even daring to look at him this time. “At least I have the balls to admit when I like something in life. And I actually go for it.”

As the door closed on him, Atem was left standing alone, the soles of his shoes soaked with milk and his heart aching at his own stupid behaviour and assumptions of his best friend.

The warm feeling he had been filled with from seeing Yugi today was gone along with Marik.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Tumblrs:  
> [xauroraxborealisx](https://xauroraxborealisx.tumblr.com/)  
> [Atems-leather-pants](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com/)


	8. Mexican Hot Cocoa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 18th - T minus 6 days

Yugi was purposely ignoring his phone. He had texted Ryou in the morning to tell him about yesterday’s date, but he had refrained from opening the Advent Match app to look at the daily gift. He had already dated halfway through the twelve days of Christmas, and he was exhausted, both physically from all his nightly dates, but mostly mentally from the entire struggle they had brought him so far.

Clearly, this algorithm hated him and was set on making his amorous life a living hell.

Today was Friday and the shop had been bustling with customers most of the day, but now, right in the middle of the afternoon, it was eerily calm. The bell chimed above the door while Yugi was working in the back, and when he returned out front, he noticed a familiar head of white waiting for him at the counter.

“I knew I’d find you here,” his best friend stated, leaning on the glass surface, looking idly at the items displayed under it.

Yugi sighed loudly, not having the current state of mind to reign in his reactions. “Ryou, it’s the Friday before Christmas, what did you expect?”

Chocolate brown eyes found his and held his gaze. “I thought you might be avoiding me by now.”

For a second, Yugi could only stare back, but then he dropped his eyes to the glass. “I’m not… well, not consciously I guess.”

From the other side of the counter, Ryou booped him on the nose playfully. “Yugi, you’re a brainiac, you don’t do anything unconsciously.”

“I just…” the purple haired man started, but he searched for the words to describe his mess of emotions right now and they kept escaping him. “Honestly, I’ve had a really embarrassing experience with the app so far.”

Ryou seemed to notice the change in the air, and rounded the counter to join his friend on the other side. He pulled up the spare stool Yugi kept there to sit. “Sweetie, from what you’ve told me, embarrassing might be an understatement.”

The store owner did not want to hold his frustration in anymore, and he knew Ryou would not mind his harsher use of vocabulary. “Okay then. This algorithm is twenty ways of fucked up. Better?”

“Duly noted, but that’s not the main issue here.”

Ryou reached out and grabbed both of Yugi’s hands before pulling him closer. The other let himself be guided forward, his knees brushing up against his friend’s. He did not mind the proximity knowing Ryou was doing it out of comfort like he always did.

“Well, what’s the main issue then?” he let out, feeling exhausted all over again.

“How are you feeling?” Ryou inquired.

Yugi hated those words. He hated them in small talk conversations. He hated them in more emotional ones. He hated them. Period. They were always asked either out of politeness or, like Ryou always knew the perfect opportunity to throw them his way, in a situation where the answer was irrevocably not okay.

And he also knew he could never lie to Ryou. He was a bad liar to begin with, and Ryou was way too observant for him to even try using a decoy answer. “I… honestly, I don’t know anymore. I feel like, although I’m trying to keep it together, I’m slowly rediscovering why I’ve avoided dating recently.”

Ryou’s smile was filled with understanding and Yugi was reminded why they were best friends. “Dating is a bitch, you don’t have to sell me on that. But then again this begs the question, Yugi. What do you want at this point?”

Yugi realised it was hard to explain what he wanted although he felt it.

He wanted natural.

He wanted casual.

He wanted warm.

But most of all, he wanted  _ real _ .

He wanted…

The words just came tumbling out of his mouth. “I met someone.”

He did not even know he had spoken them out loud until he noticed Ryou’s eyes growing wider than saucers.

“Care to repeat that?” his friend asked. “Because I’m pretty sure you just said YOU MET SOMEONE?” he said, enunciating the last words louder than the rest.

Yugi stumbles upon his response. “No, I mean yes, I mean... shit!”

He could see Ryou trying to contain his excitement, but then something seemed to click as he frowned.

“But not through the app?” he prompted.

Yugi sighed melancholically. “No, but because of it.”

The white haired man shook the hands in his. “Want to tell me more about this or am I going to have to pull the words out of your mouth?”

“He’s taken, Ryou,” Yugi provided quietly, before regrouping. “I met someone who’s smart and funny and gorgeous and thoughtful and _ taken. _ There. Happy now?”

A gentle hand cradled Yugi’s face as a soft smile appeared on Ryou’s lips. “Quite the opposite actually. This is complete and utter rubbish.”

Yugi rolled his eyes at the obvious comment. “You don’t have to tell me. I know.”

There was a pause and then Ryou recanted and the honesty on his face slapped Yugi right across the face. “You like him, huh?”

Yugi let go of Ryou’s hands and drove the palm of his own hands into his eyes, tilting his head back. “I would actually prefer not too.”

“Is there any chance we could off the other fellow?” his friend asked tentatively.

“Ryou!” the store owner hissed out, but thankful for the change of tone.

Ryou hummed while tapping a finger to his lips. “I know, I know, too risky. We could get caught.”

Yugi sank down, his head falling on the counter with a thud. “What am I going to do?”

Before long, he felt fingers combing through his hair. “Well, you could wallow in self-pity and that would be totally understandable,” the other offered.

“Well, aren’t you just a helpful bundle of sunshine and daisies…” Yugi grunted back.

“Or you could just try to stay with the program and keep dating. At least, this could take your mind off him for a little while,” the other proposed.

“I could…” Yugi muttered, but then his head snapped back up. He still had six dates to go, more potential for horror, but also maybe the potential to find someone, anyone, just to maybe alleviate this infatuation for a certain barista that had grown in the past few days. “… and you know what, I will.”

He would have to see Atem if he kept going for his dates at the café, but he did not want to think about going elsewhere. Atem was still his friend, a newfound one maybe, but one he appreciated. He would do this for the six remaining days if he had to, and then, he would maybe take some distance over the holidays to heal his aching heart with cookies and sweets while rewatching every stupid holiday romantic comedy he could find with Ryou.

Just six days. Or maybe even fewer if he found someone right before then.

Some days, he cursed his eternal optimism, but right now, he needed it to get through this.

Ryou clapped his hands together happily, just like a child about to open the biggest present under the tree. “Ah, there’s my little bootstrapper!” He grabbed Yugi’s forgotten phone from the counter and handed it to his friend. “Now, open up that gift and let’s see who you’re wooing tonight!”

Yugi took a deep breath as he unlocked his phone. The little gift was still jingling at the forefront, waiting for him to click it. He closed his eyes for good measure as he tapped the screen, then peeled one eyelid tentatively to see what disaster he would face tonight.

The other eyelid opened up quickly. “Well, I’ll be damned,” he breathed out. “He looks normal.”

Ryou grabbed the phone from him again and smirked widely. “I think the word you’re looking for is hot.”

***

Today was one of those days.

When Atem had woken up this morning, a text from one of his baristas who was supposed to work this evening told a tale of illness and woe. And despite his best efforts, no one would pick up the shift last minute despite the small financial incentive Atem offered. The shop was short staffed once again.

In addition to his employees, his own cat had decided to rise up against him. Java had proceeded to shred a roll of toilet paper during the night because Atem had forgotten to close the bathroom door. Ten minutes of clean up later and Atem was ready to go back to bed and write off this day entirely.

To his chagrin, though, the bad day did not end there. It only seemed to amplify with everything he did or everywhere he went. Why did this all have to pile on at once?

“Oh come on, how can you not have any more eggnog in stock! It's December 18th! Peak eggnog season.”

“My apologies,” Atem tried to console the middle aged woman with a very distinctive haircut as she leered him down across the counter. He knew this type of customer. Knew them well. It was just unfortunate that today the one thing that this particular person wanted had just been used up not twenty minutes ago. Usually Atem would send out one of his employees to the grocery store to try to fix this folly, but with only two hours left in the work day and the shop down one employee, Atem thought they could get away with a polite sign expressing their regrets and hopefully restock before they opened up tomorrow morning.

He picked the wrong evening to take this risk.

“How can you even call yourself a coffee shop if you don’t have eggnog for an eggnog latte in the middle of December?!” the woman whined, repeating herself for what felt like the fiftieth time. This was one of those times where he wished Marik was here. His snark alone would drive this ornery customer towards the Starbucks and their inferior beverages a block away. Unfortunately, Marik had booked the evening off for a date of his own, but even if he had not, Atem doubted he would show up to work today after what happened last night.

_ Ah, Marik. _

Atem fought a grimace, willing his face neutral as he idly watched the woman suck in another breath to start her tirade once again. He had fucked up. Big time. He had slipped up and assumed Marik’s intentions with the app to disastrous consequences. His friend refused to respond to any of his texts today, not even the funny cat pictures that would generally make Marik howl. He knew had to make this right, and soon. 

“You know, I would never be treated like this at Uncommon Grounds. And they  _ always _ have eggnog.”

Atem’s brow furrowed incrementally. He doubted that statement, but now was not the time to argue. He needed a plan. His numerous apologies thus far did not seem to work, so Atem decided to switch to another tactic. Hopefully this would work.

“Once again, I am sorry for the oversight about how much eggnog we may need today. For your trouble, might I offer you a voucher for a free beverage of your choice the next time you come into the shop?”

Atem pulled out a small business card from beside the till and scrawled something on it. He signed his name on the bottom of the card and held it out towards the customer.

She huffed and bit her mauve coloured lip. She looked as if she was about to wind up again for another go, but thankfully she merely groaned and snatched the ‘free beverage card’ out of his hand.

“I hope you have a good day, ma’am.” Atem smiled genially at the back of the retreating customer. She did not stop her stomp for a second as she made her way out of the cafe.

As she barrelled through the door, Atem’s new least favourite customer nearly hit his new favourite customer. He chuckled as Yugi gracefully grabbed the door that nearly clocked him and held it open for the human personification of a hurricane.

“Wow, what happened to her?” Yugi asked, approaching the counter where Atem stood still flummoxed.

“I… I ran out of eggnog. She took it very personally.”

“You ran out of eggnog? Oh Atem, how dare you!” Yugi dramatically scolded, his words jabbing yet eyes entirely mirthful.

Those eyes. They were enchanting on a normal day, but tonight, framed by thicker eyeliner then usually, they were entrancing on a completely different level.

“Oh, I am so sorry,” Atem deadpanned, a small smirk pulling at his lips.

“I… I can’t believe it,” Yugi continued to mock scold, poorly keeping the laugh out of his voice, “You monster! You grinch! You might have single handedly ended Christmas!” 

“Oh, Yugi. How could I ever make it up to you?” Atem asked between his own chuckles, leaning against the counter.

Yugi was now in a full giggle fit, the jovial sound filling the air and pulling Atem into a similar state. Normally, Atem would not let his professional demeanour slip like this in his cafe. He wanted to maintain the integrity of his shop, and part of that was being ever the polite and courteous owner that cares about his patrons. However, after the horrible interaction he had just had with that customer from hell, he could not help himself. He needed this. And it was made even better that Yugi was the one to lift his spirits. He may be Yugi’s emotional support barista, but in a way, Yugi had become his emotional support customer.

Atem looked up from where he had doubled over to see Yugi’s face shining across the counter. Yugi was mere inches away from him, cheeks tickled pink and eyes still aglow from the laughter. Their gaze held, and for a moment, they both fell silent. He could stare into those amethyst pools forever.

The moment was shattered rather abruptly as Yugi cleared his throat and pulled away to stand. His cheeks were still pink, but his smile seemed to cool, the carefree expression pulling away like a tide in the night.

“Ah, Yugi-”

“I have my seventh date today,” Yugi blurted, “I’m over half way done.”

“Ah, yes. It’s that time of day, isn’t it?” Atem mused as he too pulled away from the counter and rose to stand. “Does today’s seem... promising? Are they on their way?”

“It already seems better than yesterday’s, for sure,” Yugi chuckled.

Both of their smiles returned. The memory of the dinosaur enthusiast and his ‘date coach’ was something neither would forget for quite some time.

“You really attract a strange crowd, Yugi Mutou,” Atem responded in kind.

“I swear, that algorithm must be riddled with bugs! How do I keep getting paired with these sorts of people?” Yugi lamented.

“I wish I knew.”

A brief blast of chilled air broke through the warm ambiance of the shop and captured the attention of both of the tricolour haired men. A woman entered the shop, and was quickly pulled towards a table by a friendly wave. As if reminded, Yugi reached into his wool coat pocket and pulled out his phone. Atem watched in silence as Yugi tapped and swiped at the screen before locking the phone and looking back up.

“He’s on his way. I’m just going to meet him by the door.”

“Ok.”

The silence hung for a moment before Yugi scratched at the back of his head and beamed a smile right at Atem. “I will be back to order something, I promise!”

Atem released the breath he had not realized he had been holding. “Of course. See you then.”

****

Yugi thanked the heavens it was not that cold outside, and actually a pretty decent cool winter evening with a few scattered flakes falling around them. He took a few deep breaths in, calming his racing heart at the brief but nerve-wrecking interaction with Atem he just had.

_ Geez, why is this so hard? _

He sighed, a puff of fog coming out from between his lips as he focused on the words Ryou had spoken to him right as he had prepared him for tonight. His best friend had announced that sometimes when you feel like crap on the inside, you should look to strive for the opposite on the outside. He had taken a moody Yugi who did not even want to go on a date tonight, and used his fairy godperson power to do a Cinderella on him.

Ryou had carefully pulled his hair up in a ponytail, taming the usually untameable spikes. He had applied a slightly thicker eyeliner around his eyes, making them pop like jewels. He had forced him into an emerald green shirt and topped off his look with leather bracers and a thin choker. A pair of dark jeans hugged his legs perfectly, and he had to say, he looked pretty good by the end of the process.

He had opted to wear his favorite knitted scarf and a woolen buttoned down coat, the most classy thing he had to protect himself from the cold. He shuffled his feet and looked around at the happy couples that seemed to be surrounding him. He wanted to smile at them and their joy, but deep down, something tugged at his own heart.

Was it too much to want someone to walk next to you?

Someone to hang onto your arm as you strutted down the street?

Someone to laugh at the silly puns you came up with?

Someone to just hold your hand?

Wait…

Why was someone holding his hand?

He shook his head and noticed his gloved hand was not encompassed into a red mitten covered one.

“Hi,” said a voice dripping like warm gooey caramel.

And when Yugi looked up, he lost himself into a pair of emerald eyes that shone as bright as all the lights covering the shop fronts surrounding them.

“H-hi,” Yugi managed back.

The other man, a taller individual that oozed suaveness, but also had a sweet way about him, beamed with a smile as shiny as his eyes. “I wasn’t sure it was you at first, without the spikes from your profile pic. But those eyes... I could not mistake them for someone else’s, no doubt about that.”

The words got caught in his throat, and he felt spellbound. Was this what it felt like when a date was starting just right? “I’m Yugi,” was all he replied.

_ That is the best response you could come up with after that compliment. Your stupid name?! _

The other did not seem to mind at all. “And I’m Otogi. And these…” he trailed before producing a bouquet of gorgeous large purple flowers that opened to offer a jewel crafted of white and golden yellow bud. “... are for you.”

Yugi felt all the warmth from his whole body go straight to his face and his blush probably rivaled the colour of poppy flowers. Or the colour of that mitten from the hand that was still holding his own.

“I don’t know what to say,” he deadpanned.

Otogi laughed a soft chime of chords. “Will you just accept them then?”

Yugi finally let go of the other’s hand and hid behind his own gloved ones, trying to control the colour and heat of his face. “I-Of course. They’re magnificent. I’m just…” He took a deep breath before peeking between his fingers and then holding out his hands to accept the bouquet that was put gently into them. “Thank you!”

“You’re very welcome.”

He smiled back, still overwhelmed by the positive attention he was suddenly receiving. He motioned towards the café. “Shall we?”

And once again, very delicately, just like when Otogi had taken his hand to bring him back to reality, another hand was laid on the small of his back as the taller man opened up the door for him.

Chivalry was not dead it seemed, and Yugi was flabbergasted by this knight out for his heart tonight.

***

Atem was busy crafting a perfect macchiato when suddenly, his perfectly selected holiday playlist seemed to skip and the song was quickly replaced by another. The lewd beat was out of place in his cheery shop, but unmistakable.

_ Why is Sexy Back playing? _

It happened so suddenly and then, like if it had been just a figment of his imagination, the playlist skipped back to Christmas tunes. Atem looked at the iPod plugged into the speakers and shook his head. He knew who was probably responsible for such a blasphemy.

_ Dammit Marik. _

With a sad sigh, he turned his gaze towards the doorway. Yugi’s evening date had begun. 

He watched as Yugi was led in warmly by the obsidian haired man who had taken his place next to him. This man sure was something, and Atem’s attention was held as if by an animal magnetism. There was an air about the other that exuded lavish extravagance, his golden jewelry and an extremely fashionable coat surely costing about what Atem made in a half a year. Despite the luxury, the man held himself differently than the rich playboys that Atem had encountered. His wily hair was pulled back from his face by a red bandanna and his posture conveyed an undeniable undercurrent of rebellion.

_ This is Yugi’s date?! _

Great.

Atem swallowed thickly as he tried to collect his thoughts from where they had spilled out onto the floor and into the gutter. He scolded himself under his breath and finally managed to pry his eyes away from the radiance. Any lingering attraction towards this stranger quickly dissipated when he noticed his favourite customer had fallen under a similar spell. Yugi stood across from the man, gaze slightly glassy as he fidgeted with the cuff of his jacket sleeve. The two men exchanged platitudes before the tall man grinned a blinding smile that could be used to home ships at sea. 

Yugi’s fluster grew and bloomed into a full sheepish blush as the other man pointed towards the flowers in Yugi’s hand. His hands clearly did not know what to do with this extravagant bouquet, but he somehow managed to motion towards his companion that they should head towards the counter.

“Uh, hey.” Yugi greeted Atem, almost seeming to crumple under the weight of the flowers.

“Hello Yugi. Those are some lovely flowers,” Atem commented, his customer service smile plastered across his face to prevent his jaw from dropping. They were absolutely stunning up close. And probably from the most high end flower shop in town.

“Hello there… ah, Atem.” The dark haired man’s voice was nearly a purr as his emerald eyes flitted up from Atem’s apron. “My name is Otogi. Very nice to meet you.”

“Uh, you as well,” Atem responded rather lamely. “What can I get for you?”

“Well firstly, what would you… oh, Yugi, may I carry those for you?” The inquiry directed towards the shorter was smooth and easy, a hand joining the words in offering.

“Oh, yeah, that would be great. Thanks,” Yugi murmured around the flowers. Once they were pulled away from his face, Atem could see the full extent of his blush.

_ He really is enjoying this attention… _

Their eyes caught for the briefest of moments before Yugi looked up to study the menu. After almost a minute of silent contemplation, he looked back down and met Atem’s eye. “Uh, I’m having a hard time making up my mind tonight. Is there something you’d recommend?”

“Ah, well, there are quite a few I’d recommend,” Atem started, a hand raising to scratch his chin.

“Well, how about your favourite?” Yugi added, that flushed face now trained directly on him, amethyst eyes softly imploring.

Atem was taken aback. Sure, he had recommended his favourite drink to others many times before, but for some reason, such a request from this captivating customer made his heart start to race. An odd vulnerability pressed into him, but instead of resisting, he let it envelop him.

“Well, despite my love of coffee, my favourite hot beverage is actually a Mexican Hot Cocoa. It’s got the perfect mix of sweet, earthy chocolate with a hint of spice,” Atem explained, holding Yugi’s gaze despite the sudden urge to busy himself with other tasks. “Would that be something you would be interested in?”

His words were met by a brief, breathy chuckle. “Yeah, that sounds amazing.”

Atem smirked, only breaking eye contact to enter the order into the machine. “It most certainly is.”

***

Otogi was the perfect gentleman.

He held the door for him.

He helped Yugi out of his coat.

He pulled his chair.

He went to collect their drinks without a second thought.

He listened to every word coming out of Yugi’s mouth.

But the most important thing to him was that they were actually having a pleasant conversation.

Once the initial shock of facing this gorgeous man subdued, Yugi found himself wrapped into an easy and flowing conversation, so much so that he even forgot to drink the hot cocoa that Atem had prepared for him until it started to get almost too cold to enjoy.

For the first time in all of his dates using the app, Yugi was not subtly checking the time on his phone to see how much more of this he had to endure. Otogi was good company and he seemed as taken by their exchange as Yugi was, his own beverage untouched too. He was easy on the eyes for sure, but easy on the mind too.

Some time into their conversation, he produced a small gift-wrapped box and offered it to Yugi. “I know this is only our first date, but I really want to treat you right.”

And unfortunately, that was not the only one he produced for the rest of the evening. Everytime he would pull out another small gift, Yugi felt like sinking under the table, unable to withstand the shower of affection and attention he was currently getting. He did not understand why Otogi would go through all the trouble of gifting his way through the evening, and it seemed the man himself did not really know.

After the fourth offering that Yugi refused to open like the three previous ones, the tricolour haired man stopped him. “You don’t have to do that.”

Looking at Yugi’s extended and halting hand, Otogi blinked before a smirk graced his lips. “But I want to.”

It was Yugi’s turn to blink as he searched for his next words. “Do you really? Do people expect you to shower them with gifts wherever you go?”

Otogi went ahead and grabbed Yugi’s hands, rubbing his thumbs on the back of them tenderly. “Don’t you feel like you deserve all that? To be treated like the prince you are?”

Yugi felt himself flush once again and had to take a deep breath to calm his racing heart and his lit nerves. “Okay, first off, lay off on the flirting for a second. I don’t think I can take blushing harder right now.” He gently took his hands back, not wanting to insult Otogi at all, merely wanting to put a little distance between them before he went on. “And I don’t actually. I mean, you’re a very nice man and a very charming one at that, but I don’t need this. I don’t want this.”

As if the distance was something he was not used to handling, Otogi’s hands went to Yugi’s bangs and pushed a few behind his ear in a flirty manner. “Well then, what would make you happy as my date?”

And Yugi immediately grabbed the hand and pulled it back on top of the table. “Just talking.”

This time, there was a real flash of surprise in the emerald eyes in front of him. “That’s all? Nothing extravagant at all?”

“Yes, just enjoying your company. Not… your money,” Yugi answered as he gestured to all the gifts in front of him.

Otogi rested his hand on his fist, elbows on the table, smirking like a cat about to purr his way into Yugi’s heart once again. “Well, aren’t you the surprise of the week?”

Yugi felt himself relax as he chuckled. “Honestly, you kind of are too.”

His date winked flirtatiously at him. “So hum, what do I do about the other gifts then?”

“There are more?!”

***

The flowers were only the start.

This guy had thought of everything and then some. Otogi had motioned for him to choose the table, pulling out Yugi’s chair once he selected one. The bouquet sat on the table, as forgotten just like their steaming mugs as the two men were pulled into a conversation. A long conversation. A couple times when Atem’s curious eye found the table between serving customers, he noticed a growing pile of small gift boxes next to Yugi’s elbow. Gifts on a first date? This man was pulling out all of the stops.

As for Yugi, he was an undeniably adorable bundle of flustered nerves. He did not blame him in the slightest. Although seeming more enthused than Atem had ever seen him before on one of these advent dates, he could not help but wonder if this was just a byproduct of him finally finding someone willing to put in the effort for once. 

That had to be it. That was the only explanation. 

With a small sigh, Atem leaned against the counter and propped his head up in his hand. Like the snowflakes falling outside, his thoughts drifted. Lavish flowers and a multitude of gifts were one way to try to win a heart. There was nothing in this world quite like being treated right, but there was more to connecting to someone than just through the material. Words, actions, touch… they were all important too. Even though he had only known Yugi a short while, Atem had learned enough to suspect that gifts were not the true way to his heart.

The warm flickering lights of the Christmas tree caught the gold in Yugi’s hair, illuminating him like one of the ornaments carefully placed by the two of them a few nights ago. Atem did not know exactly what he would do should he be in Otogi’s shoes, but knew he would take a different approach from the rich rebel. A softer one. One true to his own heart and hopefully Yugi’s as well.

Maybe he would craft a coffee especially for him, infusing it with warmth and fashioning a heart out of the foam? Maybe he would suggest they meet at a local board game café to enjoy a shared passion? Or perhaps they would decorate Christmas clay mugs after taking in the sights of a winter craft fair… it would not matter exactly what they did. They would make their own fun, he was sure of it. A warmth teemed in his chest at the thought.

It did not last.

Atem felt the warm bubble around him burst as a female voice cut through, calling over from the other side of the counter.

“Are you busy, Atem? Or can I place an order?” A familiar voice inquired.

Atem looked towards the brunette at the desk, one he had seen in his shop many times before. “Oh hello, Shizuka. Sure, of course. What can I get for you?”

She ordered her usual vanilla latte, and although he crafted it with care as he always did, he still could not help but think about another coffee he would much rather craft. 

Another coffee maybe some other time.

His task done and left alone to his thoughts once again, Atem fished his phone out of his jeans’ pocket. There on his home screen was the app he had heard so much about, from Yugi and Marik alike. Advent Match stood out like a sore thumb amongst all his other gaming and utility apps. He had downloaded it last night, but had not brought himself to open it after the blow up at closing time.

_ I wonder... _

His finger hesitated over the app for a second.

With Yugi preoccupied with this app, this was the only way he may start to notice him. Really notice him. Not just casually talking with him as he got his daily caffeine fix with a different date every evening. And maybe, just maybe, he would be able to craft that special coffee adorned with a heart with the man who had started to capture his own.

He sighed heavily.

“Something on your mind?”

He dropped his phone to the ground as he swiveled around, not even stopping to pick it up. Yugi was standing there, two mugs situated on the counter still filled to the brim with obviously very cold hot chocolate. His hands were full of small packages, and that large bouquet of flowers that had been given to him at the beginning of the evening.

Why did he feel like they were taunting him?

“N-no, just the usual,” he replied hurriedly before bending to recuperate his phone from the ground. “Where’s your date?”

Yugi laughed nervously before smiling. “I sent him on his way home after he offered me a ride in his ridiculously expensive car.”

“Porsche or Lamborghini?” Atem inquired.

The other rolled his eyes playfully. “Pffft, Bentley, nothing less.”

The barista put a hand on his heart, gaping in a dramatically fake expression. “Did it have heated seats? Because, if you turned down heated seats, you are stronger than I ever will be.”

This time, the giggle was genuine and warm. “It did… but I had an errand to run before getting home.”

Atem raised a quizzical eyebrow. “What’s so important you ditched heated seats?”

“I’m going to go drop all of these at the donation center down the street where they will actually be more appreciated,” Yugi answered, spinning slightly to show him all the boxes held under one of his arms.

“Even the flowers?” Atem replied, smirking.

Yugi feigned indignation. “Heck no, I’m keeping those. They’re pretty.”

It was the other’s turn to laugh, although there still was this twinge of what could only be jealousy poking at his heart. The flowers were the exact same shade of purple as Yugi’s perfectly jewel-toned eyes. “They sure are.”

Yugi seemed hesitant for a second and then dove in with his question. “But before I go, I have a request.”

“Anything,” the crimson eyed man offered back.

“Could you make me another Mexican Hot Cocoa in a to-go cup? I didn’t even have a chance to taste it and I wouldn’t want to miss out on your favourite!”

Atem felt his heart rate accelerate rapidly, making it hard for him to breathe. He did not even know how he managed to answer anything, but he did. “Sure thing.”

He turned around to work on the drink order and impulsively, as he poured the hot milk over the spiced chocolate syrup, watching as the dark tarry liquid mixed in with the milk as he swirled a spoon into the cup, he could not help but trace that heart he had been thinking about earlier. When he noticed what he had done, he blushed furiously before grabbing a plastic lid and hiding his design, but not having the heart to destroy it.

He turned to hand the cup to Yugi who was holding a business card in his hands.

“Oh and before I forget, here!” Yugi said as he handed him the card.

Atem started at the carefully written numbers and suddenly wondered if he had done something so great today to deserve them. “You’re… giving me your phone number?”

Yugi beamed up with his bright smile. “Yes, in case you run out of eggnog again. You know, for back up when you have to deal with mean little ladies.”

And with this last comment, he was out the door, hot chocolate in one hand, flowers and boxes in the other. Atem debated his options for a few minutes before entering Yugi’s number into his phone and sending a quick text.

**> Here’s my number too, in case you run into any more dinosaur dudes.**

It took less than a minute to get a reply.

A simple winking emoji with the words:

**> Good night, Atem ;)**

That night, after closing the café, Atem completed his profile on Advent Match.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Tumblrs:  
> [xauroraxborealisx](https://xauroraxborealisx.tumblr.com/)  
> [Atems-leather-pants](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com/)


	9. Gingerbread Macchiato

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 19th - T minus 5 days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, for those of you who may have stumbled upon this fic through either our Tumblr or other works, you should know that this is the second time Pants and I, Aurora, are collaborating to create a story together. Our first collab was a fic called Counting the Days, a zombie-apocalypse based Halloween fic in which we challenged ourselves with writing different POV than we were used to, as well as pairing we normally don't go for.  
> And throughout this adventure, some people stuck with us until the very end and we decided when we started writing Deck the Dates, that we would create little nods to them, as a Christmas gift, but also as a way to thank them for the encouragement and support.  
> So this chapter is dedicated to [YugixYami4ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/YugixYami4ever/pseuds/YugixYami4ever) for being an awesome reviewer and mutual! <3 Hope you'll like the little nod we planned for you!

The weather had turned ugly last night and was definitely cooler than it had been yesterday. The evening had softened up the blow by being surprisingly warmer than the day, but it was still a very wintery night to begin with.

Atem was rearranging decorations on the storefront that had been shuffled around by the wind the previous day. His mittens sure did not help, but he would not risk turning his fingers into icicles in the brisk cold. Inside was another barista whose shift was about to end soon, but he would have time to take care of a few things before heading back to the warm comfort of the shop. He was so focused on his job he did not notice someone approaching him from the side.

“Are you sure this ladder is stable enough?”

He was pretty sure the ladder was stable, but his own rapidly beating heart may not be upon hearing that chiming voice. He took a deep breath before glancing to the side with a large smile. “Well, I haven’t fallen yet, have I?”

“You could just be very lucky, you know.”

Yugi looked less extravagant than yesterday, but his hair was still up in a ponytail, a little change that had made Atem’s nerves jittery last night. That style just made his beautiful eyes pop even more than they normally did, and it made him inwardly swoon. Tonight was off to a bad start, well, on his heart anyway.

But he would not let it show, as always.

“I sure know Lady Luck to be on my side” he started as he got down from the ladder and replaced it next to the café’s door. “I remember her coffee order by heart now.”

Yugi’s laugh echoed around like crystal bells. “You’re ridiculous.”

A familiar sound of clacking and clattering came from around the corner, and both men watched as a sleigh guided by two horses parked right next to the café, waiting for the next group to hop on for a ride around town on this beautiful winter evening.

“Oh, I momentarily forgot it was Saturday.” Atem nodded as he went on. “The sleighs are in full swing tonight.”

Yugi looked pensive, but moved closer to inspect the majestic animals at the front of the ride. “I don’t know whether to find that romantic or horrible for the poor horses.”

Atem liked sleighs and horses, but not together, he always felt the animals looked a little unhappy even if he knew the owner of the sleigh treated them fairly well. “I pity the poor horses, I’d say.”

And then, as if Lady Luck had suddenly abandoned him despite his best efforts to stay on her good side, one of the horses snorted and shook his head, sending a rain of saliva and snot right across Atem’s face and hair. There was an awkward silence between them, Yugi just staring at the barista with wide eyes.

It was clear the other wanted to laugh although Yugi was trying his hardest not to burst out at the moment. He cleared his throat. “Well, that poor horse seems to agree with you.”

Atem just stared back as he watched Yugi’s lips tightly press together, keeping the fits of giggles inside instead of letting them ring freely. “You think this is funny, don’t you?” he replied, frowning.

The tricolour haired man tried to put on his most innocent face, but his resolve was quickly failing him once again. “I… no?”

Right this moment, Yugi could not contain his laughter anymore and he just let it out with a breath of relief. Atem joined him even if he could feel the thick saliva dripping down his face. He had to agree the situation was utterly absurd and undeniably hilarious, and he did not think he would have lasted as long if the roles had been reversed.

He reached for his scarf to wipe his face, but Yugi stopped him. He unwrapped his own scarf from his neck and started helping Atem out with the mess on his face. The barista was too stunned to say anything at first, but after swallowing heavily, he managed a few words out.

“You don’t have to do this,” he said.

Yugi shook his head, focused on making sure he would wipe most of the spit from Atem’s face, seemingly avoiding looking into his eyes during the process. “Of course, I do. I’m a horrible person, I just laughed at you.”

With a swift movement of hand, Atem caught one of Yugi’s wrist, stopping him in his ministrations. When he realised the proximity and the contact, he immediately let go and tilted his head to the side. “No, I mean, I’m not the one on a date here. Your scarf will be disgusting!”

Yugi scratched the back on his neck, a nervous habit Atem had started noticing. And was that the start of a blush on his cheeks? No, probably just the cold. Afterall, he had given up on his scarf to help Atem.

“Well, at least, your face won’t be anymore?” the other replied.

Atem could only get one word out, his eyes trailing on him. “Thanks.”

“Anything for my favourite barista.”

And with that comment, Yugi’s eyes finally met his and Atem felt time stop for a second.

Just a very brief second.

Just a very brief eternal second.

Then those eyes darted to the side.

“I’ll… go rinse my scarf in the washroom,” Yugi offered.

Atem vomited his next words at an impressive speed. “Sure, really, no problem, I mean, just give it to me after, I’ll hang it to dry in the kitchen.”

Yugi nodded vigorously before disappearing in the café, leaving Atem dumbfounded on the sidewalk.

“You’ve got horse snot on your hair.”

The comment completely brought him back out of his daze and he swiftly turned around to face his best friend. Marik was standing there, a neutral expression on his face. He was clad in the type of clothes he usually wore to work, and he even had his apron in his hands.

Atem wanted to say something smart, but he did not manage such a feat. “You came back.”

Marik put a hand on his hip and raised an eyebrow into an annoyed expression. “I work here, dumbass.”

The other took a tentative step towards him. “I know, but I was a jerk.”

“That you were,” the blonde agreed.

Atem unknowingly mirrored Yugi’s nervous habit and scratched the back on his own neck. “I shouldn’t have assumed those things about you.”

“No, you shouldn’t have.”

“And if you ever want to talk about it…”

“I don’t. Well, not right now.” And then the smirk he had come to appreciate over all these years was back on Marik’s lips, just like that. “Just seeing you being such a mess right now is payback enough.”

Atem finally felt like he could lift some weight off his shoulders. “You’re still a terrible friend,” he joked back.

The other rolled his eyes dramatically. “And I have yet to hear you say you’re sorry.”

The crimson haired man pushed back a few bangs, noticing he did indeed have some snot in his hair too. “I’m sorry. There.”

Marik opened up his arms. “Now, let’s hug it out and make sure that Cutie Pie sees us and pray he gets jealous, alright?”

He did not wait for an answer before pulling his friend into a hug, one they both seemed to need very much at the moment. Atem squeezed back into the hug as he whispered into the other’s ear. “Is he looking?”

He could hear the playful tone in his friend’s reply. “Maybe, you’ll never know. I’ll take this to my grave.”

“I despise you,” he hissed back.

As if on cue, Marik pulled back from the hug with a smile. “No, you don’t. Now let’s get inside, I’m freezing my pretty ass off.”

***

Yugi, despite trying to look as cool as a cucumber as he crossed the café, was pretty sure he had inadvertently ran all the way to the washroom. Fortunately, he was too caught up in his own head to notice if anybody realised the state he currently was in.

He closed the door behind him and swiftly locked it. After a moment, he fell back against it with a sigh, trying desperately to calm his racing heart which was hammering away in his chest as if a little drummer boy had decided to play with it.

One second, he was getting ready for his date, which seemed pretty promising if he said so himself, then the next he was standing way too close to Atem.

And their eyes had met.

And his breath had caught in his throat.

How could this be happening?

He took a few steps towards the sink and turned on the hot water to rinse his scarf. He caught his reflection in the mirror, the blush on his cheeks was evident and the glow in his eyes unmissable. Why was Atem having such a radical effect on him? Geez, the man was taken and yet he was still smitten, moreso every passing day, even after knowing that fact!

He took a couple more minutes to control his emotions before he finally left the sanctuary of the washroom. And right as he left, he realised he should have stayed just a minute longer.

Outside the store, he caught Atem and Marik in a warm embrace, and for not even an instant, Yugi’s eyes had met the blonde’s over Atem’s shoulder and it felt like a punch to his gut. To his greatest surprise, he managed to plaster a smile on his face, albeit probably pretty poorly, and just walked towards the door. 

The coffee shop owner waved at him as they did a little shuffle past each other in the doorway, Atem collecting his dampened scarf from him with his characteristic smirk. Marik waited outside for a moment, merely smiling at Yugi, but there was something behind that smile. Something he could not quite put his finger on. He shook his head as he leaned against the café’s façade to wait for the woman he was scheduled to meet tonight.

The cold did wonders on his nerves, and he felt himself start to relax as he took deep breaths of air filled with soothing wintery scents. It felt good and soon he found the courage he needed to face his other date and to go back into that café after his sweet exchange with the barista who was unwillingly weaving his way into his heart.

“Oh hi!”

The call from behind tore Yugi away from his thoughts. With a practiced smile he turned to greet the beautiful young woman who was nearly bouncing down the snow covered sidewalk to meet him.

“You’re Yugi, right?” She slid to a halt right in front of him, her luscious chestnut hair halting its bounce a full second after her body had stopped.

Her smile was just as wide and bright as it was in her profile picture, and despite his lingering trepidations about this app and where his heart truly lies, Yugi could not help but smile back. Her profile was the most promising one he had seen yet. This was a welcome change, as he was definitely starting to doubt the credibility of this app in actually matching up people using compatibility. Beyond the warmth she even managed to exude in a picture, her hobbies aligned with his own. She loved books and one of her favourite things to do was try out new games. Already, he had become captivated.

Now as she stood in front of him, her large brown eyes pulling him in gently, he felt real, unbridled hope for the first time since he started this whole process.

“Oh yeah, I’m Yugi,” he greeted, “You must be Mana. Pleasure to meet you.”

“No, the pleasure’s all mine!” her bubbly response made her seem to shine even more. “This coffee shop looks so adorable! I can’t believe I’ve never been here before!”

“Yeah, I hadn’t found this place until recently, but it has quickly become my favourite! It’s got the best drinks in town, I swear.”

“Oh, that sounds wonderful!” she bubbled.

Although it was cold outside, they did not start making their way into the Rise and Grind right away. Their conversation seemed to pick up and take on a life of its own, never missing a beat. A strange nervousness started to take hold of Yugi, but for once, it was not the nervousness that accompanied the calm before the storm. It was something he had yet to feel on any of those dates before, even showered by all that affection from his previous one last night.

He had only felt it while he talked with Atem.

And he knew those were forbidden waters to him thanks to the blond barista.

Maybe this time, he could begin to move on? 

Renewed and willing, he jumped feet first back into their conversation. Some time later, he realized he could barely feel his toes from the cold and decided to prompt them towards their actual date destination with a small nod towards the wreath clad doorway. “Should we maybe continue this inside?” 

“I’d love to!”

***

Atem had just finished hanging up Yugi’s damp scarf in the corner of the break room. A few lockers away, he could see Marik struggling with the overflowing items in his locker threatening their escape. A small smile tugged at his lips as he watched his dear friend. He was so glad that they had a chance to talk. Even though Marik could be a real smart ass, he was one of his most treasured friends and he had felt awful over what he had said and done.

Those harsh words were a symptom of something lingering beneath the surface that he was just starting to understand. Although he felt confident in certain spheres of his life, when it came to matters of heart he still found himself lost most of the time. Unsure. Before recently, he would have thought that Marik was immune to these sorts of problems. Although if their recent fallout was any indication, his friend was facing some difficulties of his own in that area. They would need to have a proper chat about that eventually. Still he had to admit, Marik never hesitated to go after what he wanted, consequences be damned. It was remarkable. 

In this moment, he wished he had even an ounce of that self-assured, ‘fuck it’ attitude when it came to these things. But unfortunately, that was not easy for him.

This morning when he had opened the Advent Date app and saw his match, something seemed to click inside him. The man he had been matched with was decently attractive and they seemed to have some interests in common, but as his fingers hovered over the keyboard to type out a greeting, he found himself frozen. 

After a moment, he knew what he needed to do. His fingers moved across the screen to send a polite and courteous cancellation to his would-be date. It was not right to disappoint someone who could actually be looking for something he was not ready to give.

He should have been excited when he had opened the gift, nervous or maybe a little apprehensive. In reality, upon seeing that man, he felt none of these things. All he felt was disappointment. He wanted nothing more than to see a particular face smiling up at him from within the screen. 

He wanted that hope that maybe today he could finally have his chance.

However, it was not meant to be.

But maybe tomorrow?

He would hold onto that hope. 

Riding that little swell of optimism, Atem waved at the other barista he was slated to relieve before glancing up at the screen to start working on the orders. He could not dwell on these things now. He had work to do.

Speaking of which.

“Long time no see!”

A jovial quip was called from the counter. Too long indeed.

“Hello again,” Atem called back to the vice he had come to know well, turning on his heel to face the counter. There, he found the adorable amethyst eyed man sporting a faint blush as he stood next to a girl. She had a wide grin that mirrored Yugi’s, and a bubbly personality that shone through in her greeting.

“Oh, this must be Atem! He seems so sweet, and handsome too!” she exclaimed, bounding forward to stick out her hand to the coffee shop owner, “Hi, I’m Mana. Nice to meet you!”

Atem blinked once in surprise at the warmth of her greeting before finally finding the muscle tone to accept her hand.

“Yup, that’s Atem,” Yugi confirmed abashedly, scratching at his cheek lightly, “Do you have any idea what you want to order?”

“Oh! Right… hmmmm…” The brunette’s brow furrowed as she quickly looked up to inspect the menu. They fell into silence for a few moments as she read, her index finger following her gaze. Similar to yesterday’s date, Yugi seemed much more perky than he had on his initial dates. The smile on his face seemed more genuine.

Although, something was different about today.

The tizzied, almost overwhelmed look in Yugi’s eye as he was nearly buried under a mountain of flowers yesterday was gone. He merely looked excited. Relaxed.

_ Happy _ .

The one word rang out like a shot in Atem’s mind, its reverberating implications not lost on its victim.  _ He seems happy _ . Atem reiterated to himself, his hands coming to grip the counter top a little too firmly. Of course, they had only just met and sure she seemed nice, but what if…

What if he actually ends up liking her that way?

Despite the warmth of the coffee shop, Atem’s blood turned to ice. Could he, by playing Yugi’s game, be missing his own chance?

“Atem? Did you catch that?”

Atem blinked away his intrinsic distraction to focus on the one undeniable distraction in front of him. “Did you say something?”

“Are you alright?” Yugi inquired softly, his kind amethyst eyes meeting the shop owner’s again.

Atem fought a wince. “Oh yes, I’m fine. Just a bit up in my head, that’s all. There is a lot that needs to be done before Christmas around here and I guess my mind drifted to that.”

It was not entirely a lie, and thankfully, it seemed to lull the other into a state of content. “Oh good, this place would be nothing without you!”

Despite the sincerity behind those words, Atem did not trust himself to even acknowledge their utterance. Instead, he painted on his best genial smile and gripped the register screen with a hand. “What can I get for you?”

“We are both going to try the Gingerbread Macchiato,” Yugi relayed, his date bobbing her head in an adorable affirmation at his side.

“Oh, yes, excellent choice,” Atem murmured as he punched in the order, “That’ll be $7.32.”

Just as he looked up back towards the patron that he was quickly realizing was pulling him in deep, he caught a glimpse of something in Yugi’s eye he almost missed. Confusion? Concern? Whatever it was, it was gone in a blink. That good natured twinkle was back front and center, dancing on a stage of warmth that made Atem want to run and yell his frustration in the supply closet.

He quickly pulled himself together before his emotions got the best of him, hiding behind his trusted professionalism. “You’ve got it. Credit card?”

***

Mana had gone to find them a table while Yugi lingered at the counter waiting on Atem’s expertly crafted drinks. Any other day, Yugi would have had to hold himself back from striking up a conversation with his emotional support barista, but right now, he found himself unable to.

Yugi’s finger tapped at the wooden counter idly as he stared with unseeing eyes at the plethora of teas stacked along the back wall. Something about Atem seemed off ever since he had entered the shop. He seemed stiff. Unsure. At one point while they were ordering their beverages, Atem had even given him a look that screamed deer caught in headlights.

What was going on with him?

Yugi chewed his lip, his finger starting to tap faster. Maybe he was having an off day? Everyone had off days! But as much as he tried to convince himself that this was what was going on, the thought nagged at the back of his mind. There had to be more to this. He seemed fine when they were outside with the horses! They had chatted casually, had a good laugh and Atem had even done that thing with his —

He shook his head and fought a groan. How could this guy be so genuinely awesome one moment, then as distant and stiff as a marble statue the next? 

_ Wait… did I say something wrong? Do something wrong? _

Yugi’s head bobbed towards the counter.  _ What did I do? _

Oh wait.

Yugi’s stomach did a somersault at the damning recollection of his scarf. 

_ Did he think that I was… flirting with him? _

Oh no.

Atem was taken! Is that why he was acting all awkward? Did he think that he was coming onto him?

_ No, no, no. This is bad. Really bad. _ Yugi lamented to himself, the room suddenly feeling much too warm. He had to figure something out to diffuse the situation. How can I fix this?

“Yugi?”

The voice startled him out of his thoughts. “Oh yeah, I’m here!”

“I know you’re here, Yugi.” Atem’s crimson eyes lingered on his. “Is… everything alright? You look pale.”

Yugi scratched at the back of his head with a breathy chuckle. “Oh yeah, I’m fine. Just a little nervous for this date, I guess.”

Atem’s rich hum of contemplation filled his ears. Thankfully for his sanity, Atem did not press the matter further. Instead, he smirked as he pushed the two mugs filled with Gingerbread Macchiato forwards. “Well, I don’t think you have much to worry about. She seems very interested in you.”

Yugi’s breath caught, but not in the way he expected. “You think so?”

“I know so.” Atem chuckled as he turned away. Before he left to attend to the next customer waiting at the till, he added one last thing. “I hope you enjoy your date.”

Yugi found himself frozen by an inexplicable chill colder than any winter’s night as he watched Atem walk away.

Pulling himself together, he carefully handled the two mugs of steaming brew as he walked towards the table where his date awaited. He still could not shake the cold that had seeped into his bones, but he knew that he could not linger on this. He had something more pressing. Or rather, someone.

Yugi had been on dates before where he was clearly a second priority, may it be to the other’s narcissism, pride or deviated focus. In fact, he had experienced this many times this last week. Even though his mind ached to be elsewhere, he could not allow himself to do that. He could not do that to someone who seemed to be genuinely here to get to know him.

He smiled shyly at the girl across from him as he sat down and she returned the gesture. If she was going to be here and put in her all, then he would too. Whatever feelings he had for Atem… well, he could not do anything about them. He wanted, no,  _ needed _ to focus on the tangible. To focus on his goal. He needed a suitable date to Jou and Anzu’s wedding and who knows? Maybe Mana could be the right one?

Or  _ the  _ one?

Yugi ducked his head as he felt the blush forming at the thought. His heart raced at a dizzying pace as he stared into his mug.  _ The one… _

“Are you alright? You’ve gone quiet.” Mana asked as she took a sip of her coffee. Her small satisfied sigh filled the resulting silence. “Oh, this is so good!”

“Really good,” Yugi agreed with a small chuckle, “Sorry, I’ve uh, just had a few bad dates recently and already I feel like this is starting off so much better.”

“Oh my gosh, right?” Mana sighed. “I can’t believe how many people signed up for this app just to have a platform to talk about themselves.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that too!” Yugi leaned in slightly, his eyes alight. “There was even this one guy who talked a lot about the ocean.”

“Was that Mako something-or-other?” the girl asked incredulously. “I just went out with him yesterday!”

Yugi’s eyes went wide. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, the guy talked like he was married to the ocean! I’d definitely be the side sailor in his life.”

Yugi shook his head with a laugh. “Yeah, me too.”

The conversation stalled suddenly as both Yugi and Mana stared at each other for a moment before both dissolving into a knowing fit of giggles. The sounds of her sweet, genuine laugh only spurred on his own.

She had barely caught her breath before trying to talk again. “You’re a funny guy, Yugi. But speaking of funny dates, don’t get me started on this guy who was obsessed with dinosaurs.”

Yugi let out a full bodied groan. “Oh no, not you too?”

“Oh my gosh, Yugi! You get it, then!” Her hand came down to rest on his as she pulled him in with that excited twinkle in her eye. “You’ve gotta hear what he said to me…”

Yugi grinned and settled in for the wild story that was sure to rival his own, the grin never leaving his face. 

***

This shift was one of the worst ones Atem had experienced in recent memory. The workload was light but steady, the customers were reasonable and the machines did not fail once. Marik was not even around making questionable decisions. Normally, these were all things that would usually comprise a wonderful shift, yet today was still undeniably  _ awful _ .

Atem slowed down momentarily to rub at his temples as he waited for the milk to finish steaming. A headache had developed, compounding and aggravating the intermittent tightness in his chest that came every time he looked at a particular table. He had tried his best not to look. After all, it was none of his business how Yugi’s date was going, and surely, his favourite customer would stop by afterwards to give the full update in vivid detail as he always did. He suspected that tonight’s post-date conversation would be much different, though.

Every time he caught a glimpse of Yugi, the other’s smile caught on his heart. It had also started to drive him mental. Because that smile was not for him.

It was for her. 

The girl he was currently leaving with.

He had almost missed his favourite customer’s departure while he was nestling cookies into the display case. He had barely caught a glimpse of the coat being assisted on Mana’s shoulders and the grateful smile the gesture received. Atem stared on in dumbfounded silence as he watched from afar as words were exchanged between the two readying their leave. He could barely breathe as he watched Yugi hold open the door so his date could pass through first. Then just before Yugi turned to follow her into the night, he looked up one last time to the counter.

Their eyes met.

Yugi’s hand rose into a goodbye.

Atem wanted to crumble like an overbaked cookie right now.

Before he even had a chance to respond, Yugi left, pulling his arm around his date as he stepped across the threshold, their post-date conversation indubitably not happening tonight. 

Atem stood there for a full minute processing the situation. After the initial shock had faded, he was left with a flurry of emotions that left him snowblind and discombobulated. Somehow this awful shift had one more thing in store for him. Their briefest goodbye. After they had shared a moment outside right before his date.

How had this day gone so wrong?

Well, not for Yugi, that was. From what he had seen, Atem could only describe Yugi’s most recent date as cute and successful, filled with smiles and laughter and light blushes and easy conversation and everything.

It had been a date filled with everything anyone could ever want. 

Everything, he realized in this very moment, he wanted with Yugi... and might never have after tonight.

Marik came out from the kitchen area in the back and scanned the shop, not noticing Atem’s inner turmoil at first. “Huh, what happened to Cutie Pie? Gone with the cheers?”

“Yeah, he… just left,” the other croaked out, not even daring to look at his best friend.

He heard Marik put down the tray he must have been carrying before taking a few steps his way. “’Tem, what did you do?”

Atem fingernails dug into his palms as his hands formed fists on the counter. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

A hand was dropped on his shoulder in support, his friend not even offering a dirty joke as usual. “Maybe that’s the problem, huh?”

“He left with his date, Marik,” he muttered before adding, “happily.”

There was a short beat of silence before the other uttered one word in response. “Shit.”

And for the first time in days, it finally dawned on him that maybe he had been stupid to wait things out, to wait for a sign, just to wait, period. He had seen all of Yugi’s horrendous previous dates and naively assumed the rest would go the same way, and that he would have his chance either through the app itself, or to ask after the slew of dates Yugi kept insisting on going on.

He told himself it was okay to wait.

How stupid he had been!

One of his fists connected with the wooden surface of the counter in irritation. “And I even signed up for this stupid app!” he hissed under his breath.

Marik leaned on the counter next to him. “Well, you know-wait what? Rewind that! You signed up for Advent Match?”

Atem hid his face inside his hands to hide both his anger and his shame. “Yes, I told you I had a plan,” he managed between his fingers.

His friend chuckled lightly, but there was a hint of melancholy behind it. “I don’t know whether to call this plan genius or dumb, honestly.”

Atem felt his legs turn to jelly, both from standing up most of the evening, but also from the complete and utter despair that seemed to have taken root inside his stomach. He slid to the ground, his back against the cabinets and wrapped his arms around his legs like a kid in pain. “He only dates through the app, so I thought, I mean, we share a lot in common so maybe we would be paired up… but I missed my chance before I even got to see this through.” He felt his eyes stinging, realising he was much more affected than he wanted to be about this whole thing. “But who fucking cares now?” he breathed out.

Marik slid down next to him and grabbed one of his hands. “Well, I do. And so do you.”

Atem sighed loudly, letting the air out of his lungs slowly. “What do I do now?”

His friend squeezed his hand in reply. “First, there’s absolutely nothing you can do tonight about it. Well, I guess there is one thing. You wait and see if he shows back up tomorrow.” He nudged him from the side before he continued. “My guess is that he will at least inform you about his progress. He always pops up like bread from a toaster.”

“Then what? I offer to be the same emotional support barista as usual?” Atem answered, his voice dripping with irony.

He could sense Marik rolling his eyes. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, alright?”

He finally shifted his head to look at his friend. “What was that about doing something about it tonight?” he asked.

The smirk that appeared on Marik’s lips should have been enough of an answer. “You do whatever us jolly people do when we get our hopes crushed: get drunk!”

Atem sighed again. Although the idea of momentarily forgetting his own fiasco of a possibility of relationship ripped from his fingers seemed like an awesome idea, the logical side of his mind kept dancing around the solution offered. “Marik, I have work tomorrow.”

His friend got up and offered him his hand. “So what? I have dance class and you don’t see me complaining.”

The owner of the café accepted the hand and got to his feet. A small smile drew itself on his lips. “You’re an asshole.”

Once again, Marik playfully booped him on the nose. “A very cute one at that, if I say so myself.” He wrapped an arm around his shoulders before declaring the empty coffee shop: “Now let’s get you shitfaced!”

Atem knew he was going to regret this, but right now, he preferred regretting this than the chance that had just slipped away from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Tumblrs:  
> [xauroraxborealisx](https://xauroraxborealisx.tumblr.com/)  
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	10. Cinnamon Chai Rooibos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 20th - T minus 4 days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you take a look at the companion piece, **Naughty Spice Latte**? It takes place while Yugi is on his date with Otogi and you might recognise someone from it ;)
> 
> PLEASE READ THE AUTHORS' NOTE AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER <3

Last night had been a bad idea. 

A very bad idea.

Light streamed through the cracks of Atem’s blinds, illuminating the coffee shop owner where he lay amongst the tussle of sheets and blankets, his cheek firmly plastered against the fitted sheet. Sometime in the night, his pillow had tried to make a run for it, and made it onto the floor before losing momentum. Now Atem lay in a similar limp state, his head trying to make a break for it as his stomach debated mutiny.

He had broken one of the cardinal rules he tried to live by last night: never try to out drink Marik Ishtar. 

Atem let his bleary eyes flutter closed once again, hoping the resulting darkness would help quell the throbbing in his head. When Marik had suggested that they nurse their broken hopes through a night of drinking, Atem was all aboard. After that goodbye, Atem could have definitely used a drink. Or five.

He had even drank one more for good measure.

The vibrate of his phone against his night stand might as well have been a jackhammer hard at work beside his ear. Atem groaned. He had every intention to ignore his phone and go back to sleep for another couple of hours, but after a few more vibrates in rapid succession, he pried his eyes open and clumsily grappled for his phone.

**> Good morning, sweet cheeks. How’s your head?**

**> You tried to out drink me last night**

**> Bad idea lol**

Of course his best friend would be up and as fresh as a daisy after such a night. Atem poked out his short, succinct reply.

**> Go away**

Buzz.

**> Oh come on, now why would I do that? You’re so sweet when you’re hungover.**

**> I have made mistakes. Now at least let me sleep them off.**

**> Well, you can sleep off one of those mistakes, the other’s going to need more than just a caress from Morpheus ;P**

Atem had to read the message twice, his aching, hungover brain struggling to keep up.

**> I don’t want to talk about it.**

**> Well, you definitely wanted to last night, you morose, precious Cassanova!**

Atem felt his stomach do a flip as he swallowed his concerns. His tongue was as thick as felt in his mouth.

**> What?**

**> Oh don’t worry your cute little head about it. You didn’t say anything I didn’t already know ;)**

Well crap.

Having had just enough of this conversation, Atem lobbed his phone back onto his nightstand before pulling the blankets snug around himself. He was not in a mood to justify himself. And besides, there was nothing really to justify. He and Yugi… well…

Despite the small pang of jealousy that shot through his nerves at the recollection of last night, Atem did feel happy for Yugi. Truly. He had found who he was looking for, and she seemed great. Wonderful, even. Most importantly, he seemed so happy when they had left the shop arm in arm.

Atem flipped onto his back, staring at the ceiling. There was a part of him that wanted to send Yugi a text right now telling him everything, taking that chance he should have seized days ago. Although, even with the best of intentions, these messages would not have changed anything for the better. If Yugi actually went home with that girl last night, these messages would have no chance in hell…

_ How could I let this happen? _

Despite his despair and suffering, a small melancholic smile tugged at Atem’s lips. He had made a mistake, sure, but at least Yugi had found who he was looking for. He just sorely wished it was him.

More buzzing reverberated throughout his room. Atem pulled himself up gingerly to grab the phone, equal parts curious and preemptively annoyed at whatever snarky comment his best friend was sending him now. To his surprise, it was not a text message that awaited him. It was a notification that he had received his daily gift from Advent Match. For a moment, Atem regarded the small alert. It would be a cruel twist of fate if Yugi were to appear beneath all of that virtual wrapping. A part of him wanted to ignore that gift and forget it ever even made itself known. On the other hand, another part was consumed by curiosity. Having made up his mind, he tapped it open with a short, apprehensive hum.

A familiar man with long flowing pink hair filled his screen with a smile smug enough to make a narcissist envious. He knew this face. Atem hefted a sigh and tapped on the chat window to craft his response to cancel the date. He knew how that one was going to end. A few days ago, he had already supported Yugi through a particularly atrocious date with this conceited man and he was in no mood to have to relive that for himself.

He typed out a quick, yet courteous message to cancel the proposed date and locked his phone. That left only work to fill up his time today. If he was going to make it in, he had better start remedying this hangover. With a sigh, he started to carefully extricate himself from his haphazard nest and made his way to make himself presentable again.

Well, as presentable as he could be with a crushed heart.

***

When he finally opened his eyes that morning despite being awake for quite some time already, he was met by a familiar setting, but not that of his own bedroom or even apartment.

Yugi was a mess.

A mess of what, he could not tell.

Last night had been unexpected.

But unexpectedly good. And then unexpectedly frustrating.

“I take it you did not sleep much?” Ryou’s voice finished awakening him.

Yugi popped into a seating position on the couch, pulling the cover along with him to keep his bundle of warmth. “What gave it away? The bed hair?”

His friend sat on the other side of the couch, shifting his sleeping arrangements a little. “No, the bags under your eyes. Your hair always looks like bed hair.”

Last night, he had ended up knocking on Ryou’s door after driving Mana back home, who had walked all the way to the café from her workplace. He had felt so empty and confused, and he had not wanted to feel that way alone with Sudoku crawling on his lap. He just needed a friendly presence other that that of his cat, and he knew Ryou was probably home. His friend had welcomed him in without a question and started tea as he had explained his evening.

He remembered Mana’s and his interaction all throughout their date. From their shared struggles, their conversation had flowed onto more general topics. Favourite past times, favourite games. They had a lot in common, and Yugi had been delighted by how easy this conversation had been. There were no egos. No expectations. Just two people spending their evening chatting and sipping away at festive beverages. Their refills had come and gone, and time had seemed to meld, escaping detection until Yugi had a crucial thought.

This was nice.

So nice.

But not right.

Mana was pretty. No, beautiful! Her infectious energy filled the room, warming it more than a roaring fire ever could. She was kind, smart and funny. Her effervescence lifted Yugi’s mood and also rocketed his mind into the stratosphere. However, his heart stayed firmly rooted where he sat. Rooted there, in that coffee shop.

Then there had been the conversation on the ride back home.

_ “I’m sorry,” he said after revealing that he did not think he could go on another date. _

_ “Don’t be. This was fun,” she replied with her ever bright smile, not even a hint of sadness behind it. _

_ “Yeah, but-“ _

_ She had held her palm his way. “No buts, Yugi! This was the best evening I had in a long time. So what if this isn’t ‘love’?” she countered, air quoting the word. “Do you see me crying my eyes out and heartbroken?” _

_ “No, but you must be disappointed…” he trailed, still feeling guilty about this whole thing. _

_ She let out her crystal clear laugh, the one that had made him smile all evening. “Disappointed that I just made an awesome new friend? Disappointed that you made me realised I’m worth more than what this stupid dating app has been offering me before you?” _

_ He parked the car right in front of her place and finally was able to look at her. “Disappointed I’m pulling the brakes on this before it even starts?” _

_ She angled her body his way and returned his gaze. “Yugi, can I be honest? I feel like if this friendship should last, I should be honest.” _

_ He gulped. “Please be.” _

_ “You may have been drinking coffee with me tonight, but you were miles away… well, not miles, but just a couple meters away actually, from our table,” she offered with a knowing grin. _

_ And he still had the audacity to deny it. “I’m not sure I get what you mean.” _

_ She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. “Yugi, you like that barista, Atem. He may be too oblivious to see it, but I’m not.” _

_ His gaze fell to his lap instantly. “Mana… it’s complicated.” _

_ Mitten clad hands reached for his and squeezed them lightly. “Maybe. But does it have to be?” _

Mana had left the car shortly after, telling him that if he still needed a date for the wedding, she could still provide and would have an amazing evening with him. However, she would actually prefer for him to be with the one he wanted at his side, not just the friend that she had turned out to be. There had been no tears, no sadness, no nothing from her. She had been the most genuine and sweet girl about this whole ordeal. How could he have ever been so lucky? They had swapped phone numbers and promised to see each other after Christmas for a gaming night.

And he had felt so alone and heartbroken right there, hence his trip to Ryou’s.

And his sleepover.

Ryou stretched some of the sleep out of his shoulders before dropping his feet onto Yugi’s lap, embodying the epitome of relaxation. “You should woo him. Steal him away from the other guy.”

Yugi sighed loudly before slapping away at Ryou’s foot. “You know damn well I would never do that!”

His friend shrugged casually in response. “Okay, then just tell him how you feel.”

“Okay.”

Ryou almost fell from the couch as he lifted himself on his elbows to get a better look at Yugi. “Did I hear you right?”

Yugi was not looking at him, instead he opted to stare into the void right in front of him, but the air he emitted was resolved. “I said, okay. After I’m done with this whole dating app thing, I’ll tell him.”

Ryou still could not believe what he was hearing. “Who are you and what have you done with Yugi Mutou?”

The tricoloured hair man just nodded while pursing his lips. “I’ll get it off my chest and never have to face him again afterwards.”

The other chuckled as he let his head fall back on a throw pillow. “Ah, never mind, there he is.”

Yugi took another pillow and threw it at his face. Ryou retaliated quickly with a throw of his own before coming back to the topic at hand. “But what if he feels the same way? What are you going to do then?”

There was something so very precious about the way Yugi smiled at the moment, something that betrayed both his anxiety regarding the issue, but also his never fading optimism. “Well, I’ll start believing in Christmas miracles, won’t I?”

***

Thankfully by the time Atem had made it into the shop, his hangover was nearly a memory. In its stead remained only weariness. Despite this, Atem persisted, pushing through his afternoon shift like a man on a mission. Which, he most certainly was. There were baked goods to finish, stock to sort and drinks to make. And customers to get over. Well, one in particular that is.

Atem was just finishing up a drink when he heard a bark of laughter from the collection counter. “Atem, still slogging away I see?”

Atem looked up to catch the knowing smirk. A man with unruly white hair leaned against his countertop, eyes twinkling maddeningly in the incandescent store lights.

“Bakura,” Atem was unable to keep the note weariness out of his voice despite his best efforts as he greeted the white haired man, “what are you doing here?”

“What? Is that how you treat all of your guests, ‘Temmy?” Bakura’s barking laugh grated on Atem’s already frayed nerves. 

Atem stared up at his old college friend, who always seemed to make his appearances back in Atem’s life whenever he least expected him. They had developed a friendship over the course of a few semesters when they were in the same business program, but once Bakura dropped out of school to ‘have a real life and make some real money’, he also seemed to drop off the face of the earth. Sure, Atem was happy to see him, but his wandering ways and somewhat self-absorbed motives left a bitter taste on Atem’s palate sometimes.

“I’m sorry, it’s just been a long day, I suppose.” Atem rubbed at his neck as he summoned the energy to try again. “It’s good to see you. Is there something I can get for you?”

“That’s much better! Greet the customer, then offer your services. Just like they taught us in business communications.”

“Yes, the class you slept through,” Atem muttered quietly as he reached over to grab a cloth.

“Yeah, well who needs those dumb classes? I’m doing just fine on my own. I’m now sous chef at The Kilt and Caber,” he bragged, shrugging his shoulders.

“That’s very good,” Atem replied, already growing weary of this conversation and moving onto menial tasks behind the counter.

“Better than good. Bloody well fantastic!” Bakura crowed.

If the guy was any more cocky, he would be a… well, he kind of already was one. Atem cleared his throat lightly to cover his laugh at the naughty mental image. “Yes, indeed. So what brings you into my shop today?”

Bakura adjusted the lapels of his leather jacket. “Well, I will have you know that I am here to meet a hot date.”

By hot date, Atem almost certainly knew the other man meant hook up. He just hoped they had the decency to not use his shop’s bathroom as their actual ‘date’ spot. “Wonderful. Is this one of those Advent Match dates?”

“Yeah, how’d you know?”

“We’ve been having quite a few of those dates here recently,” Atem murmured, his eyes drifting over the man’s shoulder towards the door of the shop. There had been no sign of Yugi today, not that he was expecting one. Hoping, on the other hand…

“Aha!” Atem’s eyes drifted back towards his friend as Bakura pulled his cellphone out of his ripped jeans pocket. “Yeah, that’s him now. He’s just pulling up. Keep your eyes on the door and tell me what you think.” Bakura punctuated his brag with a wink.

When he looked back at the door, he expected to see a blonde bombshell or some stereotypically tall dark and handsome kind of guy. Who he did see, however, was someone entirely unexpected.

The man stepped through the doorway, pulling off his toque to unleash a mess of tricolour hair. Large amethyst eyes scanned the tables idly, catching glimmers of light and more than a piece of Atem’s heart.

Yugi.

Why was he here?

He had just left happily arm in arm with Mana last night. Why was he going on another date? None of this made sense. None whatsoever.

A jab broke through Atem’s confusion. “What’s with the bewildered staring? Is he your ex or something?”

“My ex?” Atem murmured, not fully comprehending the question.

“Yeah, the guy who's my date… he just walked through the door.”

Atem scrambled to pull his jaw off of the floor. “Uh, no. He’s not my ex or —”

“Yugi! Over here!” Bakura interrupted Atem’s hasty reply, calling out with a nod of his chin. With a small, amicable wave, the other man came over.

“Oh hey there! You must be Bakura, very nice to meet you,” Yugi greeted with that characteristic sweet smile.

“That’s me, squirt. Do you want anything before we sit?” Bakura stepped aside to fully expose the board, and the smaller barista standing behind him.

“Sure… oh, hi Atem!” That sweet smile grew as it turned towards Atem.

Atem could barely find his voice amongst the confusion and shock. “Yugi?”

“Good to see you… are you alright?” Yugi’s smile faded as he moved closer. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Uh, no. I’m fine. Just a long day, I suppose.” Atem tried to will his voice even as he smiled at the other. “So what can I get for you two?”

“I will take a dark roast with a splash of cream.” Bakura instructed before turning what could only be described as a bawdy smile to his date.

“Uh, yeah, hmmmmm….” Yugi quickly considered his options before pointing towards the column of teas, “I’d like to try the Cinnamon Chai Rooibos.”

Atem nodded and after accepting their payment, and he set off to making the beverages. He could feel Yugi’s gaze on him as he worked, but he refused to acknowledge it. That would be a dangerous thing, and now was not the time to open pandora’s box. He wanted nothing more than to pull Yugi aside and get to the bottom of this. All of the questions sounding in concert through his mind begged for answers, but he knew this was not the right moment.

He readied the beverages and placed them on the collection counter, and nearly had to call again to catch the attention of the two men still standing at the till deeply engrossed in conversation. Something Bakura had said had started Yugi’s laughter, but Atem’s call ended it. They came by, Yugi thanked him pleasantly and the two walked back towards the tables. Atem could only stare.

***

Yugi was still a mess when he made it to the café, running a little bit late after rushing from the shop and taking a quick shower he had forgotten that morning at Ryou’s. His friend had been kind enough to offer some clothes for the day, but they were not really his own style, and he felt more comfortable in his own. His heart was beating hard in his chest at the prospect of seeing Atem once again, especially after his realisation last night and its resolution this morning.

When he arrived, his date was already talking with the barista, and he was pleasantly surprised once again to see that he fitted his profile picture to a T. The leather jacket was a nice touch, and if Yugi’s heart had not already been set on someone else, Bakura would have probably been his type.

Although that cocky attitude did not do it for him at all.

Their drinks ordered and their conversation started, Yugi noticed straight away the tells of someone who wore a mask much too often in his life. He listened to him talk a bit about himself as he observed Atem making the drinks. Again, there seemed to be a wall between them like yesterday, and Yugi felt his heart fall into the soles of his shoes.

Bakura’s hand squeezed his shoulder. When their eyes met, there was something under all that cockiness in his eyes. Something different. But it was gone in a flash and replaced with a large grin. “Ready to get this date going?”

Yugi smiled back as he took the beverages Atem handed their way. At that exact moment, he wanted to say something, anything, to take a brick down from that wall, but Atem’s eyes had quickly shifted away from him and back to the other customer waiting by the register.

He had followed Bakura to a table a little further away than his usual preference by the window, with two love seats instead of chairs. The white-haired man had dropped casually into his seat and smirked at him before taking a sip of his coffee.

“So squirt…” he started.

Yugi held up his palm to stop him. “It’s actually Yugi.”

The other leaned closer, elbows on his knees. “I usually reserve first names for bedside manners, but sure, if you want to skip the foreplay.”

Yugi smiled. There it was. The mask. “Do you always do that?”

And there was the crack in it. “Do what?” Bakura replied.

This time, it was Yugi’s turn to smirk cockily. “Get immediately into sex metaphors to avoid casual conversation?”

Bakura seemed completely out of words for a second before he frowned. “I do not.”

“Sure, you don’t,” Yugi offered back with a knowing smile before bringing his mug to his lips.

Suddenly, there was a shift in the man in front of him, and the glint in his eyes was more truthful than it had previously been. “Why do I have a feeling you might look all innocent, but you’re going to fuck with my mind?”

But Yugi was not one to give out his entire hand while the game had just begun. “Mostly because I have no intention of fucking with you,” he countered. “Literally.”

Bakura’s frown deepened. “Am I wasting my time here?”

At the question, the tricolour haired man just shrugged casually and smiled honestly. “You tell me. I mean, we got good coffee, good warmth from this horribly cold weather outside, and we could have good conversation if you were not so avoidant.”

“I am not,” Bakura retorted brashly again.

“Sure, you’re not.”

The date with Mana had been fun last night. But this one… this one was a different kind of fun. Yugi was so used to being the cinnamon bun and the sweetest guy around, and this change of pace was welcomed. He needed to let himself go, and fortunately for him, Bakura was helping unknowingly. If they could both find common ground, maybe this evening would not be a total waste of time for the both of them.

Not that Yugi would consider this as waste. He had gotten to see Atem, although they had barely interacted…

Bakura seemed to settle down a bit, maybe realising Yugi was not going to bite him both in and out of bed. “You play Duel Monsters?” he asked hesitantly.

Yugi’s enthusiasm peeked up suddenly. “Do I ever! I own the game shop down the street.”

Bakura offered him his first real smile of the evening although still pretty cheeky. “Well, if we aren’t going to have fuck, might as well have some fun.”

***

An hour or so had passed since they had gotten their drinks and only then did Yugi and Bakura seem to take a quick recess. He vaguely noticed that Yugi had gotten up to go to the bathroom, and just before Atem’s attention returned to his work, he was distracted once again.

“He’s a cutie, huh?”

Atem fought the overwhelming urge to say something snide in response to Bakura’s devious smirk. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Well, you sure had me fooled, ‘Temmy. You should really wipe that spot of drool off your chin.”

He had had enough. In no world did he have to take this, and he was certainly in no mood to play this game. But before Atem could pull away, Bakura’s gaze was pointed and his smirk grew chestershire. “Then you wouldn’t mind if I unwrapped his present? You know, trimmed his tree? Jingled his —”

“I’ve heard enough.” Atem bristled, his guard falling as his crimson gaze bore into the man across the counter. “Is that all that you think he’s good for? A one night stand?”

Bakura snickered. “What else would I be doing on a dating app? He’s probably doing the same thing, you know. Looking for a good lay.”

“Just leave him be. He’s looking for more.”

“How adorable. You really don’t get modern dating, do you?” Bakura continued his press, his words now cutting through whatever remained of the barriers Atem still had up. “And what? you think you could be that something ‘more’? Don’t flatter yourself. Now if you’ll excuse me…”

Bakura turned just as Atem’s mouth opened to retort, and waved at Yugi who had walked back towards their empty table. The white haired asshole moved back towards his date, and after a brief exchange, he tossed an arm around the other’s shoulders and they walked together towards the door.

Atem’s grip was so hard on the counter that he was sure his fingernails were leaving impressions in the varnish. He trembled slightly as his mind worked overtime to figure out what he should do. Yugi should not leave with that guy. He was not right for him! But there was nothing…

Before he realized it, he heard his voice carry across the cafe. “Yugi!”

An uneasy hush befell the patrons at the sound of the call. Yugi turned around towards the familiar voice, amethyst eyes blinking in surprise as they found Atem braced against the counter. Their gazes held for a moment, amethyst imploring and crimson in chaos.

Shit. What was he thinking? He did not even know what he wanted to say! All he could do was stand there, paralyzed and mute. Yugi merely raised a hand in goodbye, the simple gesture tearing into Atem like it had the night before. However, today he was not silent.

“Take care, Atem! I hope we can talk soon.”

Then Bakura guided Yugi away,

The conversations in the shop resumed, as Atem finally started to relax. Despite his heartache, confusion and Bakura’s taunts, there was something inherently good about tonight, and Yugi had just touched upon it.

“’I hope we can talk soon,’” Atem repeated the words to himself as he felt his chest grow tight. If Yugi was still going on these dates, then there was still hope! Hope that maybe one day, he could be the one sitting across the table. The one to hold Yugi’s hand. The one to…

Atem’s heart jackhammered in his chest as he dug out his phone. With difficulty he ignored Yugi’s contact and opened up his messages with Marik. Fighting the small smile, he typed out his promise to his best friend.

**> Yugi is not with that girl. He showed up again today. I think I’m finally ready to take your advice. If I don’t match with him by the time these twelve dates are up, I will ask him out.**

The message was sent out into the ether. Only then did he let that smile fully break its way through. 

***

Bakura kept his arm around Yugi for barely a few steps outside the coffee shop before letting go and falling into strides with him. They walked a couple of meters in silence before the white-haired man was the first one to speak.

“So squirt, I’ll be blunt. You’re downright fuckable.”

Yugi almost stumbled to the ground, his feet failing to catch onto the slippery surface of the sidewalk, but he caught himself right on time. He glanced at Bakura from the side, trying to convey the right emotion to such a statement. “I want to say thanks, but I’m downright uncomfortable right now.”

The other rolled his eyes dramatically. “Just let me finish, alright? You’re sickly cute and sweet for sure,” he explained and then he added with a smirk, “but I’m not what you’re looking for.”

Yugi chuckled. “Glad we agree on that.”

There was a beat of silence again before Bakura spoke up again, but this time, it was more like he was voicing an inner thought. “And honestly, you’re not what I’m looking for either.”

“What are you looking for then?” Yugi asked genuinely.

Bakura refused to meet his eyes as he kicked little icy pebbles while shuffling his feet. Yugi had become accustomed to the cockiness of his date, but this… this was different. This was raw. “I thought I knew when I signed up for this, but turns out I don’t know shit.”

The tricolour haired man wanted to ask more, to prompt the other to open up, but he felt it was not his place to do so. He felt Bakura had some thinking of his own to do, whether he wanted to or not. Man, what a pair they made at the moment, both probably thinking about somebody else if the white-haired man’s body language and vagueness was any indication.

Yugi felt like he needed to defuse the tension between them, to lighten up the air and he knew just what to say. “So no quickie in the alley, then?”

And just like that, the confident smile was back on Bakura’s lips. “I’d still be up for it.”

Yugi feigned indignation and slapped him on the arm. “I was joking, you idiot!”

After a few more bantering comments from both of them, they parted ways close to Yugi’s game shop, with Bakura making a note to come by and see what new cards he had in store, and maybe asked for a Duel Monster rematch. Although it was cold outside, the fresh air helped calm his nerves that felt like they had been on fire for most of the day. He found a dry spot on a bench close to his shop and just let the stillness of this winter evening bring him to a calmer state of mind.

And right then, he realised the past two days had been lacking something that had become important to him.

He took out his phone and pulled up his contacts. There, almost at the top, was Atem’s name. His thumb hovered over it and he wondered if it would be too much to just send him a quick hello. Just a quick nod. Just something.

His fingers decided for him.

**> Hey :)**

He was about to pocket his phone, knowing perfectly well that Atem was probably finishing up his close and would not reply to him for some time, if he ever did reply. However, a chime alerted him of an incoming notification.

**> Hey back at you :)**

Yugi could not fight the smile that appeared on his face nor the sudden flush he felt looking at the little smiling emoji. Did he dare reply what was on his mind?

**> Do you have a minute to talk?**

He bit his lip. Texting was one thing, but talking? He missed the easy conversation and the soft baritone of Atem’s voice, but he could never admit that to him. But he could just chat, ask him how his day had been, make small talk. He wanted to have that little slice of heaven tonight, that little bubble of warmth he felt every time they talked in the café.

**> Sure, you can call.**

The reply came as quickly as the first one and he almost dropped his phone when he saw those four words. It would be weird now not to call. The jitters took a hold of him as he selected the call option and listened to the dial before the other picked up after the second ring.

“Hi!” he greeted the barista at the other end of the line.

If a smile had a sound, he swore he could hear it as Atem replied. “Hi, is everything okay?”

_ No. Nothing is okay. _

“Yeah, just…” Yugi managed. “We haven’t talked much today and just…”

There was a soft chuckle offered in reply. “You wanted to keep me updated?”

“It sounds strange when you put it that way,” he answered with a smile the other could not see.

There was a short pause before Atem spoke again. “I have to say, I was surprised to see you with another date tonight. Yesterday’s looked promising.”

Yugi felt his heart clench a bit. “You think?”

The tenderness in Atem’s voice did not help the feeling at all. “Yeah. The best dates are the ones where you feel like the rest of the world fades away, forgotten. That seemed to be going on last night.”

Yugi wondered if this phone call had been a good idea, a bittersweet wave taking over him. “You… you pay that much attention, huh?”

He was surprised to sense hesitation for a few seconds before the barista responded. “Yeah, is that a bad thing? Should I not?”

_ No. You shouldn’t. But please… keep doing it. _

“No, I mean, I appreciate it,” he went with.

“But I’m curious now, what happened after that date?” Atem asked.

Yugi wanted to tell him the whole truth, but now was not the right moment nor place. “Oh, we both decided there was no romantic spark, but we agreed to hang out as friends.”

“Really?” the other prompted, something lingering in his tone.

Ever the optimist, Yugi held onto that something. “Yeah, really. You sound surprised.”

Atem’s musical laugh rang on the line. “A little, but I’m not worried though. There’s still hope you’ll find what you’re looking for, I’m sure.”

Yugi nodded firmly even if the other could not see it. “You’re right! See you tomorrow?”

“It will be my pleasure, favourite customer.”

The smile on his lips threatened to reach both of his ears. He was just about to hang up before he heard the gentlest whisper. “Yugi?”

“Yeah?” he ushered back like a secret whisper only between the two of them.

“Just…” there was a slight apprehensive pause. “… good night.”

Yugi closed his eyes and pictured the barista’s crimson ones as he pronounced his own good bye. “Good night, Atem.”

He opened them back only when the call ended, searching the sky for his lucky star that he had just been able to have this perfect little interaction with the man who was both his best and somewhat worst part of his day.

But Atem was right about one thing.

There was still hope.

And Yugi would hold onto that hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, lovely people, we have to get real with you.
> 
> You're probably going to have to wait a little longer for the last 3 remaining chapters and epilogue to come out. Real life has hit us both very hard over the past couple of days, and with holidays right around the corner, we have been running around a lot more than we both expected. The whole story is planned out, chapters are outlined and everything, but we want to give you something good, not something rushed.
> 
> We hope you will still be here with us to the end <3
> 
> Thank you for your support and all the amazing comments you have all been gifting us with!
> 
> See you very soon!
> 
> Our Tumblrs:  
> [xauroraxborealisx](https://xauroraxborealisx.tumblr.com/)  
> [Atems-leather-pants](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com/)


	11. Eggnog Latte

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 21th - T minus 3 days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! Merry Christmas to those who celebrate!!
> 
> -Pants and Aurora
> 
> Also... last night, we were in such a hurry to gift you this before we both fell asleep that we forgot a very important detail! This chapter is dedicated to the lovely [WavesOver](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WavesOver/pseuds/WavesOver) who has been leaving beautiful comments of a lot of our works, as well as following us on our previous collabs too! There a little nod in there especially for you! Enjoy!

Sudoku’s little wet nose kept poking at Yugi’s cheek in a plea to wake up and probably feed her, but he was too lost in his own daydream, basking in Atem’s sweet goodbye from their phone call last night. He let the cat walk over him and watched as she settled on his chest for some much needed petting. In exchange, she purred her way into his ears.

He knew he had to get up soon, there was much to do at the shop today with Christmas just around the corner. People had been coming more frequently, and Jou had come in to offer a hand while Anzu was busy dealing with last minute details for their wedding. His friend had said this was a welcome break from all the craziness going on at their apartment, happily leaving his fiancée in the hands of his own sister Shizuka.

Yugi was happy to have an extra set of hands and spending time with Jou took his mind off his heart troubles. He was both nervous and ecstatic about the wedding fast approaching, but now that he had a back-up plan for his plus one, he felt a little better about that part of his problem.

Now, the one thing plaguing his heart, well, that was another thing.

He was just tossing some eggs in a pan when he heard the familiar jingle of Advent Match from his phone. He hummed happily as he picked it up and opened up his daily gift… before instantly dropping the phone back on the counter and taking a step back.

He shook his head vigorously before glancing at the photo and the name displayed on his phone again.

This was not possible.

Like literally impossible.

But there was no mistaking the man in the picture staring back at him.

He quickly sent the photo to Ryou and only had to wait a few seconds before the X-Files ringtone announced the call from his best friend.

“Yugi, I know you love being cryptic in life sometimes but why exactly did you send me this picture?” answered a somewhat sleepy Ryou as soon as Yugi picked up.

Yugi tried to keep his voice as level as he could. “Because that, my friend, is the picture of my date tonight.”

There was a pause. A very long pause. A very awkward pause.

Then Ryou spoke up. “Wait a second.”

Yugi just nodded, flipping his eggs into a plate next to a piece of toast and cut strawberries. “Yup, let that sink in.”

The white-haired man on the other end enunciated his words very carefully. “You have a date…”

For once, Yugi wanted to be the sassy one. “As every night since the last nine ones.”

“… with my boss,” Ryou finished with what could only be described as sheer disbelief.

Yugi took a bite of his breakfast before replying. “Ah, there’s the shock I was expecting!”

His friend’s surprise turned into unexpected excitement. Who was he kidding? He should have expected Ryou to be this enthusiastic about this whole ordeal! “Stop being condescending, this is huge!”

The other sighed. “And yet I’m thinking about canceling.”

“Are you mental?” Ryou screamed loud enough for Yugi to jerk his phone away from his ear. “You have a date with Seto freaking Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corp., billionaire extraordinaire!”

“Which is why this screams BAD IDEA, Ryou!” he retorted, massaging the bridge of his nose.

But Ryou was having none of it. “Please tell me you’ll wear a nice shirt. And maybe a tie. No, a bow tie, you look good with a bow tie! And that cologne Anzu got you last year!”

Sudoku jumped up on the counter and begged for another cuddling session by rubbing her head right under Yugi’s chin. He scratched her under the neck as he rolled his eyes. “A bow tie, seriously?”

Ryou’s bossy and demanding tone rang into his ears once again. “Yugi, so help me God, you will go on that date tonight and give me the juicy details about my own boss!”

“You go if you want to so badly!” Yugi countered, feeling very much like a teenager with such a childish and forward reply.

His friend’s bossy tone turned sickly sweet. “Oh come, do it for research! Do it for me!”

Yugi sighed once again, but acted on another idea. “What’s in it for me?”

“You get to go on a date with one of the most sought out bachelors in the country?” Ryou immediately prompted, as if that prospect alone should make Yugi want to go on a date that was bound to be attracting paparazzi and reporters alike.

“But I-“ he whined back, before being cut right away.

“I’ll get you on the priority list for the new Duel Disks coming out in the spring,” his best friend offered.

And this time, Yugi did not even hesitate one bit. “Deal!”

If he could have access to those disks before any other gaming shop in the city, this would mean a huge deal to him and would probably raise his clientele, really helping out his very new little shop. But mostly, he could not hide his exhilaration at being one of the very first people to hold and try out those very promising Duel Disks.

So what if he had to suffer through just one other weird and peculiar date? He had been through his fair share in the past few nights. Besides, Atem would be there to cheer him on if the CEO accepted the date to be set at the Rise and Grind.

Speaking of Atem…

After ending the phone call with Ryou, he opened up his messaging app and went straight to the conversation that had started last night.

**> Well, tonight’s date is bound to be interesting.**

It took a few minutes for a reply to come in.

**> Should I be worried?**

Yugi laughed. Dared he tell him about this date over text… or dared he make him wait for it?

**> No, but be prepared!**

Another short pause before a new notification.

**> For the best or the worst?**

Yugi just smiled as he typed in his reply.

**> For anything! ;p**

***

The sun had set and the snow was falling. Although the weather was brisk outside, Atem did not feel the minutest of chills from his perch behind the counter. In fact, he felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the tiny space heater kept on the floor nor his cozy christmas sweater adorned with many ridiculous looking reindeer. The fall of the evening spelled the rise of one of his new favourite moments of the day.

Seeing Yugi.

After that phone call last night, things felt back on track. Hope reigned once again! He had his plan in place and soon he may be able to finally put himself out there. And who knows, maybe he would finally get his chance soon enough.

Atem smiled to himself as he ran his soapy cloth against the counter. Today, his own match from Advent Date was not the one he wanted, and although the guy was nice during their lunchtime date, Atem had someone else on his mind. He had cut their date short with his sincerest apologies and never looked back. After all, he had much more to look forward to. Namely that his favourite customer should be here soon, as per his text earlier that day.

Apparently there was something very interesting about Yugi’s next date that he refused to divulge what over text, but promised to share when he got there. Even though the idea of Yugi going on a date with someone other than him stung, he had to admit that Yugi’s endless parade of nightly dates was one of the most amusing spectacles Atem had ever seen in his shop. Even more interesting than the time his coffee shop hosted that slam poetry night that devolved into an all out brawl.

Atem shuddered at the memory. Slam poetry. Never again.

“Atem!”

Atem hummed as he looked up towards a sight for sore eyes. Well, from the look in Yugi’s eyes, he definitely seemed sore about something. Yugi nearly collided with the counter in his attempt to overcome his frantic momentum, the kinetic energy being quickly converted to words tumbling from his mouth.

“You won’t in a million years guess who my date is tonight.”

“I doubt I will. There’s plenty of people in Domino, it would be nearly impossible to do so.”

Yugi’s little bubble of winded laughter was much too adorable for Atem to bear. “Yeah, yeah. But this is someone you know!”

Atem could not hide his perplexion. “Who?”

Yugi looked like he was struggling to find the words for a moment before he finally spat out the answer. “Kaiba.”

Atem’s eyes went wide. “You mean Seto Kaiba? The CEO of Kaiba Corp.? Why would he be using his own dating app? Or really any dating app for that matter. I'm sure he can get anyone he wants.”

“Beats me.” Yugi shrugged. “He actually responded to my messages and agreed to meet up here. I was so surprised!”

Atem hummed his agreement. “So when is he supposed to arrive?”

“He said he’d be here at 7:45. There’s been no sign of him yet.” Yugi relayed as his eyes made a quick sweep of the shop.

“He still has a few more minutes, and I’m sure we will hear the engine of his Lamborghini when he shows up,” Atem assured his favourite patron as he idly straightened out the syrups so every label was readable upon first glance.

“Do you really think he’d drive himself?” Yugi leaned up against the counter. “I’d have guessed he would have used his driver.”

“Perhaps, but if I was going on a date and I had a fancy sports car, I’d take the chance to flaunt it,” Atem pointed out.

“Touché.”

The agreed upon time came and went, but there was still no sign of the oft prickly CEO barging into the cozy coffee shop that was much too rustic for someone of his tastes to truly enjoy. Yugi continued to linger around the counter, squeezing in a few words with Atem as the barista worked away crafting coffees. Their easy conversation was so comfortable that Atem found himself secretly wishing that Kaiba would stand Yugi up so they could continue to spend their night chatting. Not five seconds after that thought, Yugi stopped mid sentence to announce the arrival of a text message.

“Ah, there he is. He says he will be here shortly, but in the meantime, he has… sent his assistant?”

Atem stopped mid pour and looked up in fascination. “Did he actually just delegate his date to his assistant?”

Yugi gaped at the phone. “I… I guess so.”

“Yugi Mutou?”

The brisk and loud call from behind nearly made both tricolour haired men jump out of their skin. Atem clutched at his chest as he turned wide crimson eyes at the newcomer. “A little quieter in the shop, please.”

“My apologies.” The youth with tousled black hair apologized with a small bow. Despite clearly being a teenager, he was dressed better than most business men. His three piece grey suit was perfectly tailored, paired quite fashionably with a cream shirt and navy tie. He held his metallic briefcase at his side, as his other hand reached out in formal greeting to Yugi. “Hello, I’m Seto Kaiba’s assistant. He apologizes for his delay. May I buy you a cup of coffee for the inconvenience?”

“… Uh, sure.” Yugi blinked at the teen before turning back towards Atem. “Ah, a medium eggnog latte please.”

Atem nodded briefly at his favourite customer before turning his attention to the youngster in a business suit. Now this was an odd one. He hoped that Yugi would not need saving from this one, he had experienced enough bad dates to fill one lifetime, but at least the assistant seemed to be reasonable. So far.

The night was still young.

“And for you?”

“I will take a Red Eye please,” the teen ordered the extra caffeinated drink like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Atem shook his head lightly, “Alright, coming right up.”

He watched as both Yugi and Kaiba’s assistant walked over to a table in the back of the café before each taking a seat on the small loveseats across from each other. As he watched them settle, a thought poked around his mind. Where had he seen this guy before? Not on the app for sure, he was way too young, but he looked oddly familiar. As he prepared to start the next order of drinks, he felt a chin come to rest on his shoulder from behind.

“Ooooh Cutie Pie is back again.”

Atem rolled his eyes at the use of Marik’s nickname for Yugi, also currently cursing the fact that his best friend was slightly taller than him, hence the chin on his shoulder. He shrugged him off.

“He was there yesterday too, with an old friend of mine nonetheless.”

“An ex?” Marik inquired.

Atem let out a humourless chuckle. “No, hell would have to freeze over before that idiot and I would date!”

His gaze shifted towards his best friend who was also sporting a festive sweater, probably the ugliest one he could also find. It was somewhat of a tradition ever since he had opened up the café and hired Marik. Every December 21st, they would wear the most horrific holiday sweater they had gotten their hands on that year and display it at work to celebrate the official arrival of winter. Years ago, that had also meant they would down 21 shots of Santa Panties, a disgusting mix of Kahlua, grenadine and Rumchata.

And wake up with a headache the size of Santa’s naughty list.

But now, only the ugly sweater tradition had remained, their adult bodies and mind knowing better than to do something as stupid as drinking that much and something that horrible tasting.

Marik joined him, sprawling out next to the till, thoroughly enjoying their now empty queue. “His date looks a bit young, should I be worried about jailbait?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Atem nudged him from the side. “That’s his date’s assistant actually. The big shot guy has yet to show up.”

His best friend nudged him right back with a smirk. “Well, if he doesn’t show, you could offer to fill in!”

“Marik…” Atem growled, but there was a small smile tugging at his lips.

The other dramatically rolled his eyes and hands, gesturing like a theater kid through the air. “I know, I know, this does not compute in your grand scheme of things.”

This time, the comment did not feel as much of a jab as it used too. Marik knew about his larger than life infatuation, and he seemed to still be bugging him about it, but was now backing away almost appropriately. Atem also suspected that there was something behind his best friend’s now happy-go-lucky attitude, which right at the moment, brought a thought to the forefront of his mind.

“Don’t you have a date tonight? You had dance class last night, but are you skipping on two dates in a row?” he demanded, refilling the beans in the espresso grinder.

Now, Marik was tanned which could have made it harder to see the blush that covered up his cheeks quickly, but Atem knew better. He knew enough. And his curiosity piqued.

“Marik?” he reiterated, blinking surprisingly.

The aforementioned man seemed very focused on wiping non-existent dirt and grime off the counter behind the till, and completely avoided Atem’s inquisitive gaze. “Nothing, just taking a break, you know. Too much dating, not enough humping. Just a break. Yup, a break,” he word vomited, before swiftly heading to the back area with a quick excuse to grab some more cookies while all their displays were already filled up to the brim.

Atem chuckled.

But that would be a discussion for later.

***

At least, Yugi did not feel overdressed in front of his date’s assistant. He had actually listened to Ryou and put on a nice eggplant coloured shirt and black slacks, as well as a dark grey vest and a black tie. Much to Ryou’s chagrin, he did not own a bow tie that matched with his choice of clothing, and he would absolutely not run to the store just to get one for this occasion.

The younger man seated in front of him looked comfortable in his own fancy clothes, but also somewhat out of his element, as if he was used to doing this, but maybe not in such a casual setting. For a brief moment, Yugi wondered if this was going to be like his date with Rebecca when the other opened up his metal briefcase, but the only thing he pulled out was a non-disclosure agreement.

“I know this may seem like a lot right now, but you should know I do not find any enjoyment in making you sign this either,” the young man said with a bright smile.

There was just something about that smile that reassured Yugi, but that also made his brain compute every single detail about the other in a fast manner. Those large blue eyes and that carefully cut and styled mop of ebony hair were very familiar to him, but he could not quite put his finger on why. These polite manners and that poised behaviour certainly were those of a professional assistant to one of Japan’s wealthiest men, that was for sure, but he could not help but sense that there was something else behind the other’s demeanour. Something pure and genuine.

“That’s okay, I understand. Well, not that I understand the reality of it, just the need for it seeing as your boss is, well… Seto Kaiba.”

“Yes, well my br-boss is a very private person,” the other replied.

Now that slip of the tongue did not go unnoticed and things started to click in Yugi’s brain.

“What did you say your name was again?” the tricolour haired man asked, his eyes as piercing as the ones staring back at him.

The other did not miss a beat. “I didn’t.”

Yugi cradled his mug in his hand and took a sip as he settled deeper into the couch. “I don’t appreciate being lied to,” he said, but there was no anger in his voice.

The other mimicked his gesture to prove his point. “And I haven’t lied to you.”

The older man was enjoying this little back and forth, like a game the both of them seemed to be playing. Nothing harmful in a little fun. At this point, he was not expecting much of this date, but he still wanted to make the most of his evening. “Omitting the truth could be perceived as a lie,” he countered with a side smile.

The younger man laughed before shaking his head. “You are much cleverer than all the other ones I met. I did not expect less from you, Yugi Mutou.”

Yugi was not that surprised that the other one had done some research on him, seeing as he was in such a position and relationship with a powerful CEO. “What exactly does that mean?”

The black haired man put his now empty drink down and set his elbows on his knees, a bright childish smirk on his lips. “Your reputation precedes you. You own the Play and Slay game shop. You may use gamer tags or pseudonyms in competitions, but our company has kept tabs on you…” The smirk turned into a somewhat shy and impressed smile. “…and I’m also a huge fan.”

Yugi did not need any more proof to know for sure who he was actually talking to. He had heard of the other man, although his pictures were not as widely displayed as his brother’s were. The younger member of the Kaiba family was also quite a prodigy of his own, still in the shadow of his brother, but happily staying there from what he could glean from his interviews. “Should I make an autograph to Kaiba Junior then?”

The professional facade on the other’s face seemed to slip and made way for the man underneath the mask. “I would absolutely love it.” And with the assumed excitement of the teenager he no doubt was behind his working façade, he took out a Duel Monster card from his jacket pocket and handed it to Yugi. “And I prefer Mokuba.”

Yugi held out his hand to welcome a card he knew very well and one of his favourite dragons in the game, Gandora. “So why am I meeting you instead of your brother then, Mokuba?”

With all pretenses now dropped, Mokuba fell back into the loveseat and brushed back his hair with a sigh. “Because Seto has no idea I’m doing this. This whole app thing.”

The game shop owner was about to sign the card with the marker he had also been given when it stopped right above the cardstock. He lifted his eyes toward the younger Kaiba, round like golf balls. “Wait a second, you’re the one behind the app?!” he exclaimed, trying to keep his voice low so as to not disturb the other patrons in the café.

Mokuba nodded almost sheepishly. “My brother refuses to have any social life, hence any dating life at all. I thought this would be a great way to meet potential candidates for him to, you know… date.”

Yugi was now staring at him, completely impressed by such a feat. “How did you manage this behind his back?”

Mokuba smirked, quite proud of himself for just a teenager. “I paid a couple of people in the company to help me design it and keep quiet about it. I took care of all the publicity and advertising while my brother was busy building and testing those new duel disks I’m sure you’ve heard about.”

Yugi nodded at that mention, a hint of excitement in his eyes. He sure had heard about them, but right now, he was very flabbergasted at the attention to detail this young man had displayed to keep his brother from finding out he was actually going behind his back… and all that effort for the CEO himself.

He was well engrossed into this conversation by now. He just kept asking more questions. “But when it went public, what happened?”

The younger man shrugged, a hint of sadness tainting his eyes. “Well, since the app was doing so well, he let it slide… but most probably because I told him it was my idea.”

A part of Yugi wanted to hug the other right now, seeing as Mokuba had done everything for his brother, but it may not have had the desired effect on Kaiba himself. “And he has no idea you’ve been going on these dates for him.”

Mokuba just shook his head as he leaned forward Yugi once more. “No. But… you’re not mad about this?”

The other offered him a smile so honest it shone as bright as Christmas lights. “No, how could I be mad at you from trying to make your brother happy?”

The smile the younger Kaiba gave back was filled with relief. “Do you like it? The app?”

Yugi scratched the back of his neck nervously while he recalled all the previous dates he had been on. “Well, to be honest, it took quite a while to get a decent date out of it, but it’s been…” he trailed as his eyes found a certain barista currently busy making a design in the foam of a customer’s coffee, a smile of his lips and a twinkle of focus in his eyes. “… eye opening for sure.”

Mokuba seemed pretty happy with that answer. “I just thought after all this hard work, I wanted others to also enjoy it and maybe find some joy in the holidays.”

As if on cue, Atem lifted his eyes from the drink as he handed it to the waiting customer, and their gaze met across the café. Atem smiled brightly at him and even managed a small polite wave. Yugi felt his heart burst. “Well, I did find some joy through it. Trust me,” he confessed.

When his eyes came back to Mokuba, he noticed the other yawning as if his jaw was about to unlock. “Okay, you must be exhausted if even a Red Eye cannot keep you up… and really, you should not even be drinking that at your age!” he protested like a parent scolding a child.

Mokuba chuckled before rubbing his eyes. “Not my fault if these couches are comfy.”

Right now, the only thing he could think of was how the other must rarely have such things as breaks in his hectic life. And he did truly deserve one after all the efforts he had put into the designing, branding and advertising of an app right around Christmas time. With a quick glance towards the display of patisseries, he remembered the way Atem had given him his own break a couple of days ago. “Just give me a second, I’ll be right back.”

He rose up from his love seat, but Mokuba grabbed his wrist as he passed by him. “Wait, Yugi!”

Yugi smiled down at the sleepy younger man. “What?”

A soft smile appeared on the other’s lips. “You’d be pretty great for my brother, you know. But I’m sensing I won’t schedule a meeting between you two, huh?” he said with the quickest, but most obvious glance toward the counter where Atem was filling up a metal pitcher with eggnog.

Yugi felt a light blush taint his cheeks. “Now, who’s the clever one?”

***

The clock above the sink declared the time as a quarter to nine. Atem smiled in content as he moved to wash the last of the day’s mugs. The patrons had all cleared out, heading through the snow towards their cozy beds or wherever their destination may be. Almost all of them. There were two still left in the store.

Atem chuckled as he spied the two heads poking up beyond the back of the leather couch facing the tree. One adorned with a mop of black hair, the other a characteristic violet tipped starburst. The two heads had not moved much in the last thirty minutes, and Atem began to wonder if they had nodded off.

“Oh you finally found the Sleeping Beauties didn’t you?” Marik’s snark sounded from beside him nearly causing him to jump and most certainly breaking his bubble of serenity.

Atem shook his head briefly before chiding his friend mildly. “You shouldn’t sneak up on someone like that.”

“Yeah, but it’s so much fun to watch you jump and squirm, ‘Tem.” Marik smirked. “Now that I think about it, I know someone else who could make you jump and squirm, big boy…”

Atem felt his ears start to burn. “How many times do I have to —”

“Yeah, yeah. Right, you have a plan.” Marik shrugged dismissively. “You saw how that almost turned out for you.”

Atem merely bit his lip.

“Alright, how about while you go check on Sleeping Beauty or Prince Charming or whatever fairytale metaphor you’d like over there and get him and the kid out of here, I can close up the shop.”

Atem stared at Marik, incredulous on multiple different fronts. “You’re offering to close?”

“I’m not making a habit of it. Now go wake him up so I can go home this century, ok?”

Tossing the tea towel over his shoulder, he took up Marik’s kind offer and went to investigate Yugi’s situation. After all, he very well could not close with these two remaining in the shop as they were. He crossed the café floor and rounded the couch to behold a sight that would warm the hearts of even the most prickliest of Scrooges.

The last two patrons had found their way into a slump, the teen’s mop of hair resting gently against Yugi’s shoulder. Atem chuckled at the little drop of drool hanging from Kaiba’s assistant’s mouth. Yugi had also succumbed to Morpheus’ clutches, his head lolled back against the back of the couch while his chest rose and fell in shallow, easy breaths. He looked so peaceful that Atem almost did not have the heart to wake him up. Almost. He suspected if he did not, he too would have to spend the night in the coffee shop and as much as he loved this place, he never wanted to do that.

“Yugi?” He inquired softly, shaking the other’s shoulder lightly.

“Hmmm?” Sleepy violet blinked in his direction before a sharp look of recognition flared behind those irises. “Oh crap! I’m still at your shop! What time is it?!”

“Ten to nine,” Atem relayed with a soft smile, “closing time.”

“Well, that’s not as bad as I was expecting.” Yugi breathed out with a sigh. “We kind of got to talking and I guess our days caught up to us.”

“Looks like it.” Atem nodded to the sleeping teen that was just starting to rouse next to Yugi. “Kaiba never showed?”

“ _Seto_ Kaiba never showed. In fact, his profile was made by his little brother.” Yugi nodded towards the younger Kaiba. “He was worried about him being alone. It’s kind of sweet, actually. The sweetest catfish ever.”

“Yes, it is.”

The scruffy haired teen found Atem and stared. “Oh hi again.”

“Hello. Sorry for the intrusion, but we are getting ready to close.”

“Oh yeah, right. I must have fallen asleep.” The teen mumbled as he rubbed at his eyes. “I just need to call my ride.”

“Uh hey,” Yugi interjected with a small smile, “You mentioned your apartment is just a couple blocks away from here. Maybe I, uh, we could walk you instead?”

The look on Mokuba’s face could only be described as precious. “You’d really do that?”

“Yeah!” Yugi beamed. “Of course we would!”

The smile was returned, and Mokuba started gathering his coat with a bubble of gratitude. After Atem had gathered his own coat and bag, he joined the other two at the front and stepped out into the cold night air. Their conversation was easy and light while they walked the couple blocks to the Kaiba Corp. apartment where Mokuba was staying. After waving their goodbyes to the teen, the two tricolour haired men were amused to find that they needed to walk in the same direction to get back to their respective homes.

“It’s a beautiful night.” Yugi commented, his eyes up on the clear sky and the stars shining down on them.

“It really is.” Atem responded.

They fell into a comfortable silence not unlike the night. The side of the street they walked down was mostly empty, the storefronts darkened and the residents living above them tucked in for the evening far away from the cold. Atem stared at the fine dusting of snow on the sidewalk as he was pulled into his own thoughts. He had so much he wanted to say but when he tried to summon those words, they evaded him. Something about Yugi’s presence, the soft steps his boots made against the sidewalk, set him on edge in the best yet most agonizing way.

“This night reminds me of winters when I was little,” Yugi said, finally breaking the silence, “We used to have these wonderful, snowy nights like that all of the time. The snow was always one of my favorite parts of the holiday season.”

Atem smiled gently in prompting. “Oh really?”

“Yeah, my friends and I would play in the snow. We had some absolutely awesome snowball fights that would last hours.”

Atem chuckled lightly, turning his eyes back towards the stars. “Sounds wonderful.”

“But my favourite memory from the holidays from my childhood would have to be lighting candles on Christmas Eve.” Yugi shoved his hands in his pockets as his smile grew nostalgic. “My mom, my grandpa and I would go outside on the balcony and light these candles late at night. We’d enjoy the silence and the cold all the while those flames flickered. I know it’s kind of simple, but there was something about this tradition that made me feel so close to my mom and grandpa, you know?”

Atem nodded. He knew that feeling. Sometimes even the smallest traditions can make a large and lasting impact. “I understand what you mean. My parents and I had our own tradition on Christmas Eve. We would walk to a pond just on the edge of our town once the sun had set and skate. Sometime leading up to Christmas Eve, someone would have strung lights around the trees lining the pond. Skating under the lights of those trees always felt so special to me.”

“Oh really? That sounds amazing!”

The excited reply made his heart soar. “It really was, yes.”

“I don’t know about you, but even though I miss that tradition, I’ve kind of found something else this year to fill the void.”

Atem raised an eyebrow. “And what would that be?”

“Oh come on, you don’t know?” Yugi chided jokingly, a mirthful smirk building. “Our little post-date conversations! It’s really made this whole thing so much better.”

Atem felt a heat build on his face. “I’m, uh, glad I could help.”

“You’ve done much more than that, Atem.” Yugi grinned at him, the barista beginning to find this cold night so very warm. Before he could even respond, Yugi stopped at the curb and pointed across the street. “I’m going this way. My apartment’s just that one across the street.”

Atem blinked. A debate swirled inside of him. Maybe he should offer to walk him home? But they were already there, just a stone’s throw away. If he did w, what then? His heart started to pound unbearably in his chest.

“Uh, I guess I will see you tomorrow, Atem.” Yugi said hastily, stepping off the curb with a small wave before Atem could even get a word in.

Atem stared silently at Yugi’s retreating back, the words he wanted to say fickle once again. After a moment, he slipped away into the silent night, his thoughts anything but quiet.


	12. Spiced Apple Cider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 22th - T minus 2 days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we are back, just in time for the New Year!
> 
> Which, just by the way, Happy New Years y'all!
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to the awesome [clydeside](https://archiveofourown.org/users/clydeside/pseuds/clydeside) who also followed us on our first collaboration, and left us some lovely comments along the way! Here's to you, our fellow Canadian puzzleshipper! We hope you appreciate the little nod we designed for you!
> 
> And now, without further ado, the eleventh date! Enjoy <3

Ryou picked up on the second ring.

“It’s uncanny how you have memorized my lunch schedule,” he greeted his friend over the phone.

Yugi was walking briskly down the cold sidewalk, having abandoned his post at the game shop with a sign taped on the door that read ‘Gone for an emergency, be back soon’. His phone was precariously balanced between his cheek and shoulder as he held two paper cups, one in each hand: his own coffee and a peace offering for Ryou whom he had yet to fill in about his previous date and was now disturbing during his only break of the day.

“Ryou, you always take your lunch break at the same time,” he replied, closing the distance between him and the very large building of the Kaiba Corp. company.

He could almost hear the other flip his hair over his shoulder as he answered. “What can I say, I’m a creature of habit. A very pretty one at that.”

Yugi hit the automatic door button with a swift hip bump and entered the tall glass building, heading straight to the reception desk where a lovely woman was seated. She seemed to recognize him from somewhat frequent visits and smiled brightly. Yugi waved at her as she signed him in. He smiled at her before motioning towards the elevators where he was headed. “As much as I like hearing you talk about yourself, I have called you for a very different reason,” Yugi retorted to Ryou.

Ryou chuckled briefly. “Is this the same reason you are distressed enough to close shop three days before Christmas and run over to meet me?”

Yugi, upon hearing the question, frowned. “How did you-“ As he turned around to survey the hall, he noticed Ryou coming down the stairs to his left, already wearing his own winter jacket, scarf and toque. “Oh.”

Ryou surveyed both drinks in Yugi’s hands before taking his rightful one with a knowing smirk. “You’re a creature of habit too, I know exactly when to leave the confines of my cubicle to greet you downstairs by now.” He took a sip of his own beverage and sighed happily. “Now please tell me this is about the juicy details I requested after last night’s date.”

Ryou led him towards the inter courtyard where a few benches and tables were scattered under the winter sky. The weather was warm enough to enjoy sitting outside, but there were few others out here, the two other people were across the yard enjoying a cigarette on their own break. The white haired man sat down and tapped the seat beside him. Yugi did not sit on the bench, rather, he crashed on it with a loud sigh. “We will talk about that later. I have a much bigger problem right now!”

Ryou raised a quizzical eyebrow at the implication. “What could be bigger than juicy information about my boss?”

Yugi took his phone out of his coat pocket and swiped for a picture before showing it to Ryou. “This,” he answered as he handed the device to his friend.

The other took a few seconds to take in what he was looking at. “All I see is another pretty man. Damn Yugi, you hit the jackpot these last few days!”

Yugi took the phone from him back and rolled his eyes. “No!” He gestured to the picture with an accusatory finger. “Him. He’s the guy dating the guy I have a crush on!”

On Yugi’s phone was a picture of Marik, smiling and winking at him, the perfect profile pic for a dating app. He looked happy and flirty at the same time, but Yugi could not care any less about that. He cared more about seeing the object of his affection’s boyfriend on a dating app.

“Oh.” Ryou seemed to take a few seconds to compute the information before his eyes became the size of saucers. “Oh! You’re right, this is way juicer!”

Yugi started gesturing wildly, completely forgetting he had a coffee in one hand, the content of the to-go paper cup sloshing around and tiny droplets escaping and tainting the snow close to him on the ground. “What do I do? I mean, I can’t go on a date with him! That would be like I was cheating on Atem!”

Ryou blinked a couple of times. “Who’s Atem?”

“The guy I like!” Yugi exclaimed, massaging the bridge of his nose with his gloved hand.

Ryou laid a comforting hand of his knee and squeezed it. “Okay, just let me rewind the facts here. You like this Atem guy, but he’s dating this one… Marik, right?”

Yugi sighed and took a deep breath before offering a few more details about his current dilemma. “Yes, they’re both baristas at the Rise and Grind where I’ve been having my dates since the beginning.” He glanced towards Ryou, his eyes filled with confusion. “What should I do?”

His best friend, ever the pragmatic one, nodded as he replied. “I say go on that date and find out the truth.” Then he winked, trying to defuse the situation a bit. “Maybe they’re looking for a third partner, who knows?”

“Not helping!” Yugi groaned.

Ryou just shrugged back. “And if this Marik guy really is cheating, well then you can bring the proof to your barista and be the bearer of bad news.”

“Not helping at all!” Yugi groaned louder.

Ryou put his arm around Yugi’s shoulder and pulled him closer. “Atem might need a shoulder to cry on.”

Yugi could only stare at the coffee cup in his hands. “But I don’t want to be the one to break his heart. That would crush him… and me.”

His friend brushed his own mitten covered hand over Yugi’s unruly hair. “Yugi, I think you should get to the bottom of this. And I think you know this too.”

Yugi knew Ryou had the correct answer in all this. He could either brush it off and cancel his date with Marik, or actually show up and get some answers. Maybe Marik had his reasons to be on the app? Maybe Atem already knew? So many maybes, and only one way to answer most of them.

The other laid his head against the company man’s shoulder and sighed yet again. “You’re right. As you are most of the time.”

Ryou deposited a friendly kiss on top of Yugi’s head. “I know you meant to say as always, but I’ll accept this rookie mistake today because of your distressed state.”

Yugi opened up the messaging component of Advent Match and sent a quick and courteous message to Marik about setting a time and place for their date. Nothing more. Everything else would have to wait. If the blonde barista agreed to this date to begin with.

Yugi took a deep breath to calm himself, and suddenly remembered the other reason he had come to meet his best friend. He snickered before he spoke up again. “Also, I should tell you the app you’re reviewing right now was really created by a 15 year old.”

He really wished he could have seen the expression of Ryou’s face at the moment. “Wait, what?!”

***

**> I will switch you for your day**

Atem laid in bed still very much groggy from his night asleep, staring at the text that had arrived just a half hour before he woke up. Marik had been slated for an evening shift today, and although it was not unheard of for his employees to make last minute shift switches, this one was particularly last minute. It was only an hour before the shift in question started. Not that surprising coming from Marik, though. He still could not help but wonder what he was up to. As Atem tapped out his reply, he asked the question on his mind.

**> Alright, I can do that. Why might I ask?**

A couple seconds later, Marik replied.

**> Does it matter? Now go back to your beauty sleep!**

Atem scoffed mildly at the friendly jab, which although expected, was clearly being used as a deflection. What could he be hiding? Atem readied his response, doubling down on his press and adding a hefty dose of his own sass.

**> I’m plenty beautiful as it is. Now answer my question**

**> Nosey :p**

**> Cryptic. Answer please.**

**> I have a date, ok? My dude of the day wanted to do one this evening because he works all day today**

Atem smirked at his win, but although he was satisfied in one way, he was left wanting in another. He knew that Marik had been going on some dates, but why did he feel like he needed to be vague about how he wanted to spend his time now? There were many possibilities as to why he wanted to hide this information, everything from seeing a date again to dating someone high profile like Yugi was supposed to last night. Before he could craft his next question, Marik beat him to the punch.

**> Now stop being a pain in my ass, I have to work soon**

Even with that note of irritated finality, Atem could barely suppress his desire to do just that. Ultimately, he decided to leave things as is. After all, he would have time to interrogate Marik the next time they were on shift together tomorrow, and he knew that the gossip in his best friend would really struggle to keep things under wraps.

With a soft snort, he locked his phone, kicked off the covers and made his way to the bathroom. If he now had his morning to himself, he was certainly going to make the most of it.

Atem squeezed toothpaste onto his brush, and his mind drifted back to the shift change. Now that he was working the evening shift again, he would have a chance to talk to Yugi. Which was undeniably and unabashedly a good thing in Atem’s mind.

He could not wait until this evening.

***

Marik had replied a couple minutes after his initial text. Usually, Yugi would have offered to have the date at the café like he did with all his previous dates, but this was different. This was Marik’s workplace and also his boyfriend’s workplace, so he was sure the other would avoid having their own outing there for sure.

He was surprised at first when Marik had replied at all. He looked at their morning conversation as he shuffled his feet in the snow, waiting for the other to show up at their rendezvous point.

**> Hey Marik, I’m surprised to see you here.**

**> Hey Cutie Pie, fancy matching up with you indeed.**

**> So how did you want to do this? Where did you want to meet?**

**> There’s a Winter Craft Fair in the village, how about there?**

**> Nice spot if I do say so myself. Let’s say seven?**

**> Perfect, see you then.**

There was nothing wrong in their interaction per say, it had been benign enough. At first, he was sure Marik would have told him not to tell Atem about their date or something, but he had not and he wondered if he just should send Atem a text. Just one quick text message to let him know he was seeing Marik tonight, and then everything would be out in the open.

But he could not do that. Not to Atem. If he had to explain anything to him, he would rather do it face to face even if it would break his own heart to do so.

“Hey Yugi!”

He lifted his head from his phone, automatically recognising the voice and the face associated with it. “Oh hey Mana! What are you doing here?” he beamed up at her presence.

Mana waved and came closer to him. “I’m here on a date, and it seems great minds think alike! Where’s your plus one?”

Yugi looked behind her and noticed a familiar man in a long navy woolen coat and an even longer golden yellow scarf, hair carefully braided down his back, currently examining some homemade ornaments from a little kiosk close to the fair entrance. He smiled remembering his painful conversation with the same man at the beginning of his own endeavour.

His eyes came back to the brunette in front of him. “He should be here any minute. How’s it going with yours?” he asked with a wink.

She giggled happily. “Well, he hasn’t said much, but he gave me those tiny smiles as answers that are just so adorable.”

Yugi knew that if anyone had a chance of getting this Mahad man to open up and maybe offer a few answers to easy questions, Mana could do it. She had an even bubblier personality than him and an energy that was contagious. Heck, he was even feeling slightly better about what he had to face after just seeing her here.

He scratched the back of his neck nervously. “I’m hoping you get luckier than I was with his lack of response.”

“Just watch me!” she exclaimed with an air of confidence before lowering her voice. “So you haven’t… asked the barista yet?”

“Well…” he trailed off, but he noticed someone coming over to them right over her shoulder.

“Hey, there you are!” the person said with a bright smile.

Marik was currently jogging up to him, his hair half hidden under a toque, luscious locks floating out from underneath it. He was wearing nothing too extravagant, a coat and scarf, just like Yugi was and a pair of golden yellow mittens that shone as he waved at him.

“Hey Marik!” he said with the most enthusiasm he could muster in the face of the situation.

Marik rounded up behind and circled his shoulders in a tight one-arm hug, laying his chin on top of his own toque-covered head. “You do know you’re the perfect huggable size, right?”

Yugi sighed. “Doesn’t mean you should just assume it’s okay to do so…”

Mana just blinked for a couple of seconds before prompting. “Wait, aren’t you the other barista at the Rise and Grind café?”

Marik still had not let go of Yugi as he winked her way. “And aren’t you the sweet date with the gingerbread latte?”

Mana adopted the same nervous habit as Yugi by scratching the back of her neck. He did not know if it was because she could read the discomfort on his face or just feel the awkwardness of this whole situation. She took a step back with a jittery laugh. “Why yes, I am! I’ll get back to my date and you enjoy yours?”

As much as Yugi wanted her to stay around and chat, he knew it would not be ideal at the moment. He waved as she joined Mahad. “See you around, Mana!”

She was almost next to her date when she turned around and winked sweetly at him. “Yeah, my offer still stands Yugi.” And then she was hanging onto her date’s arm, who very surprisingly smiled at the simple gesture, which made Yugi smile in return…

…until he remembered whose arm was around him.

“Would you let go of me already?” he groaned.

Marik tipped his head so that his cheek was now laying on top of his head. “But you’re so comfy,” he whined playfully.

Yugi finally shrugged Marik off him. In any other setting, he would not have minded the proximity. After all, Marik seemed like a fun guy to hang around, if it was not for the fact that he was currently dating Yugi’s growing crush… and probably cheating on him too. “And this is making me very uncomfortable,” he retorted.

The other did not seem to mind at all, just going with the flow. “Sorry, the temptation was just too strong.” Marik beamed at him as he bent down only slightly to meet his eyes. “You’re just too… well, you.”

Yugi could not help the blush that suddenly crept on his cheeks. The blonde was right inside his bubble and acting so familiarly with him that he did not know what to think anymore. And it seemed the barista was set on making that decision for him as he was dragged towards a kiosk that sold hot beverages to sip on while you wandered down the snowy outdoor fair aisles.

“Is apple cider okay for you? I need a break from caffeine,” Marik offered as he took out his wallet.

“Sure,” Yugi answered absentmindedly.

_ How the hell am I supposed to accuse him of anything when he’s this nice? _

Marik handed him a cup that warmed his hands through his mittens immediately and they casually started strolling down to look at all the nicely lined kiosks lit by delicate Christmas lights hanging above them from the lampposts.

His date was mostly just verbalizing his thoughts at their surroundings, trying to prompt Yugi to answer, but all the shorter man could think about was how wrong this felt, how guilty he himself felt about all this, all this familiarity and casualty and-

“Okay, I can’t do this anymore,” the words tumbled out of his mouth rapidly.

Marik stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face him, blinking. “Do what?”

Yugi wildly gesticulated between them. “This, you, me, lying to Atem like that!”

Marik’s mouth rounded and his eyebrows raised. “Oh, so you also did not tell him we had matched?”

Yugi just could not keep it in anymore. “How could I break his heart like that?” He pointed an accusatory finger towards the other. “How could YOU?”

The blonde expression changed from lightly surprised to damn right confused. “Not quite sure I’m following here…” He held up a hand defensively. “But just so we’re clear, I have no intention of making a move on you.”

Yugi was about to retort something snarky, but cut himself. “I- wait what? Then why are you here?”

Marik shrugged and a knowing smile appeared on his lips. “I actually thought it would be fun to get to know you, seeing as you’re very invested in my best friend’s coffee shop and all.”

Yugi was sure he had mistakenly heard wrong. “Wait… your best friend?” he mumbled.

The other took a step towards him, carefully dissecting his own words. His expression was still somewhat bemused. “Yeah, Atem, owner of the Rise and Grind, the guy you’ve been awfully friendly with if you ask me.”

Yugi felt a maelstrom of emotions take over him. He felt himself flush, his whole body heating up as the understanding started to hit him like a slap to the face. “Atem… is your  _ best friend _ ,” he whispered to the air, still not meeting Marik’s eyes.

The aforementioned barista took Yugi’s cup from his hands and smelled it. “Was that apple cider spiked or something?” He took a tentative sip of it just in case before shaking his head.

Finally, Yugi felt strong enough to gaze up at the other, who still had yet to comprehend what the heck was currently going on. “No, I’m just… I don't know what I am actually!” Yugi said, slapping a hand on his mouth instantly.

Suddenly, something seemed to click in Marik’s head as his eyes enlarged. “Hold on, did you think Atem and I were  _ dating _ ?!” he responded, his tone bewildered.

Yugi peeled his hand off his mouth, but only partially. “Yes?” he replied.

The blonde finally seemed to catch onto the accusation Yugi had just laid on him a minute ago. “And that I was what? Cheating on him by playing hooky through a dating app?” he raised an incredulous eyebrow at the other, although there was a snide smirk on his lips.

“...Yes?” Yugi muttered, blushing in embarrassment now.

Marik let out a carefree laugh. “Now that is both ridiculous and hilarious! I am not nor will I ever be Atem’s boyfriend. Like ever. And please, give me more credit. If I were to cheat on anyone, I would be way more subtle about it! Shit… are you crying?” he stated immediately when noticing Yugi wiping his eyes.

The relief that had washed over him had been so overwhelming that his nerves had gotten the best of him, and he had unintentionally started tearing up a little. “No, yes, maybe. I need a minute,” he mumbled through fits of thankful laughter.

Marik facepalmed before shaking his head. “Why I end up surrounding myself with emotional divas, I will never know…”

***

_ 7:30 PM. He should be here by now.  _

Atem rested against the counter, ignoring the little upkeep tasks he usually did at this time of the evening to survey the crowd in his shop. The students had all packed up for the semester, final exams now a memory, and the remaining tables were filled with couples and groups of friends catching up for one last cup of coffee before the holiday season hit in full force. Unlike the last ten days, his favourite customer was notably absent from the sea of cheery faces.

Atem felt that absence acutely.

Yugi had not sent a text this morning to say that he would be not coming around, although this did not mean much. They had only exchanged phone numbers a few days ago, so he had no real expectation that Yugi would keep him in the loop. Although it would be nice to make sure that everything was alright.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. With a few taps, he pulled up Yugi’s contact and started to type out his message. After all, they knew each other well enough by now that this would be alright… right?

Atem typed.

And backspaced.

And typed again, the words again starting to evade him.

His brow furrowed.

_ Why am I like this? _

The conversations he had with Yugi were easy and comfortable. Something about the other’s demeanour and smile drew him in and warmed him in a way he had not felt before. But sometimes, when it came to talking about anything remotely close to matters of the heart, he found himself often overthinking everything.

Like right now.

What was a better message? ‘No date tonight?’ or ‘Date cancelled tonight?’. They meant the same thing, but perhaps the second’s connotation was more negative? Best avoid that.

**> No date tonight?**

Atem typed out the former, his finger hovering over the send button in anticipation. Finally after a moment, he pressed it and quickly pocketed his phone. There, Yugi would answer and he would be reassured that some calamity had not befallen his recent favourite customer.

Taking a deep breath, he turned his attention towards the pending order screen and started making the first thing in the queue.

Drinks were made and Atem was lost in the flurry of his work, providing enough distraction to keep the questions from taking over his mind. After the queue was dealt with, Atem finally caught a moment to fish out his phone and check to see if Yugi had replied.

Nothing.

No new messages.

With a grimace, Atem shook his head incredulously at the phone, unable to shake his concern. What was going on? Was he alright? Despite the alarming nature of that question, another popped into his mind. Yugi did say goodbye rather abruptly last night and left him on that street without so much as a look back.

_ Did I do something wrong? _ Atem felt himself blanch.

Driven by an intense desire to get to the bottom of this, Atem tried to recall every moment of their conversation yesterday night. They had dropped Mokuba off at his apartment, then discussed their Christmas Eve traditions. Atem could not find a fault with anything he had said or done. Despite this, he could not help but wonder if this radio silence was somehow his fault.

He sent another text brashly.

**> I don’t mean to intrude, but are you alright?**

And another in rapid succession.

**> Please text or call as soon as you get this**

He stared at his phone for a few seconds before sighing and locking his screen. Despite the virtual hand he had extended into the dark, unease and concern continued to nag at his gut and left an acrid taste in his mouth. But he had done all he could do. With any luck, Yugi would text soon and everything about this situation would come to light.

He merely hoped that his new friend was alright, wherever he was.

For now, though, there were customers in his shop right now that needed his best and he would give it to them. Atem ran a hand down the front of his cheery red apron to smooth the creases and turned his friendly, welcoming gaze to the till, catching the eye of the woman waiting there.

“Hello, what can I get for you today?”

***

If anyone had asked this morning, he would never have thought he would actually be having a blast on a date with Marik. But now that everything was cleared up and that he knew the other was just a kindred soul like him, hopping from date to date on a cheesy holiday app, they fell into a comfortable rhythm of conversation. Both sipped on a second cup of spiced apple cider, which in Yugi’s mind was a bliss for the palate.

Marik was funny. Marik was open-minded. Marik was honest. He could totally see why Atem and him were best friends.

“So, were you as unlucky as me with the app?” Yugi prompted as they walked amongst other passerby, eyes taking in all the kiosks around them had to offer.

He watched as Marik played with his cup, taking a pause before answering. “I… I thought I was.”

Yugi knew that look. But more importantly, Yugi knew the feeling behind it, simmering right beneath Marik’s uncertain expression. “Wanna talk about it?” he asked, not knowing if the other would actually take him up on the offer or not.

Marik glanced his way for a brief second before taking another sip of his hot drink. “It’s just… I thought I knew what I wanted when I signed up for this. And then, you know, now I’m not so sure anymore what I want.” He sighed.

Suddenly, the man he had next to him was not the man he was seeing most of the time being the counter of the Rise and Grind. There was an uneasiness, a shyness to his demeanour that spoke volumes. Somehow, Yugi doubted that Marik showed that side of him often, probably not even to Atem. “Someone made you change your mind?” he inquired, but he felt as if he already knew the answer.

The blush on Marik’s cheeks was a good enough answer. “You could say that.”

Yugi let the conversation drop for a moment as they continued to walk in a comfortable silence before a thought occurred to him. He stepped in front of Marik and held up a hand to stop him. He eyed the other with a raised curious eyebrow. “If you think you already found someone, why did you agree to this date with me?”

Marik found his trademark smirk again and booped him on the nose playfully. “Honestly, I wanted to get to know you outside of the café. I already told you.”

But Yugi did not move from his spot and purple eyes dueled. “Just that?” he asked again.

The other blinked, completely taken aback by such a display of earnest honesty. “I… even more honestly?” he started. “I wanted a real date out of this. Well, another one. To compare the two,” he confessed while darting his eyes and pursing his lips.

On impulse, Yugi grabbed the golden yellow mitten covered hands into his own, prompting Marik to glance at the hands then immediately back to him. “Did it help?” Yugi said softly.

Once again, Marik blinked as if surprised by the casualness Yugi was displaying. He smiled brightly back at him. “Sure did, Cutie Pie.”

Yugi had a feeling that he and Marik would be good friends after tonight.

And he also had another giddy feeling making his heart swell up like a hot air balloon.

Atem was single.

Available.

And downright loveable and reachable and everything Yugi wished for Christmas.

Heck, if this was not the Christmas miracle he had been looking for, he did not know what was!

They kept browsing, and eventually stopped in front of a kiosk that grabbed Yugi’s attention immediately. There, right in front of his eyes, was a colourful display of magnificent snow globes with wooden bark bases and intricate designs of winter scenery. He scanned them with a smile, a breath hitching in his throat as he noticed a particular one.

Inside the glass bubble were three people ice-skating on a perfect frozen lake, surrounded by pine trees and glistening lampposts. His conversation from last night with Atem played over in his mind and his hand reached for the Christmas ornament. He gazed at it with affection, and it must have shown because Marik nudged him for the side.

“Please tell me you’re actually thinking about buying one for Atem,” the blonde said.

Yugi felt a furious blush appear suddenly right across his nose and cheeks and desperately tried to hide it in his scarf. “What-why would I do that?”

Marik rolled his eyes at him before smiling knowingly. “Because you can’t lie to me. Not after that previous conversation we had.”

Yugi looked at him with hesitation before mumbling his reply. “Okay, well maybe, you think I should?”

The other laid a comforting hand on his shoulder and smirked. “You should. He’s a total sucker for that sort of gesture. He’ll love it.”

Yugi chuckled nervously before throwing back the suggestion at Marik. “You could get something too.You know, for your other successful date.”

It was Marik’s turn to blush brightly again and evade his gaze as he shuffled around his feet, clearly nervous about the implication of getting something for this somewhat special someone.

“Yeah, no. I don’t think that would be his type all that much,” he trailed, but his voice betrayed a hint of annoyance mixed with just a tint of sadness. That hint of sadness seemed to take over as he continued. “Besides, I wouldn’t know what to get him.”

Yugi placed the snow globe back on the table before placing both his hands on Marik’s cheeks, forcing him to look back at him. He gave him a trademark genuine smile. “I don’t think he’ll care about what the gift is. I think he’ll care that you’re offering him anything at all,” he said.

His date frowned and groaned. “Damn it, I hate it when people are emotionally logical!”

He snatched a Christmas ornament from the tiny tree display next to them, a furry Santa Claus hat small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. He handed it to the vendor who wrapped it in a neat little bag.

“You’re really an adorable little shit and I hate you!” Marik retorted as soon as his purchase was back in his possession, but there was a twinkle in his eyes that betrayed another emotion.

Yugi handed his own choice of gift, which was then wrapped in tissue paper and placed in a delicate cardboard box. He smiled tenderly as the vendor handed it back to him. Suddenly, hesitation crept in his mind. Would Atem accept it? Or would he feel uncomfortable about Yugi giving him something when they had just become friends over the past two weeks?

Before he could change his mind, he checked his phone for the time, thinking he could drop this gift before Atem closed the café and then he would not spend the whole night agonizing over it. His eyes enlarged when he noticed his phone had died, his battery completely drained. He managed to turn it on again, but only for a second before it died again, and the notification displayed made his heart skip a beat.

**3 new messages from Atem.**

_ Shit! _

***

It may have been only a quarter hour to closing, but Atem had already lost over a quarter of his sanity. He had checked his phone several times since sending those messages, but there had been no response from Yugi. This was very unlike him, and now he was starting to actually get worried. As he cleaned off the counter in preparation for the upcoming close, Atem swore to himself to give Yugi a call after he had finished locking up the store.

“I hope you’re alright…” Atem muttered, out of focus eyes upon the counter.

He finished his cleaning and started on the till. Thankfully, most of the stragglers had already packed up and left for the night, so as soon as he was done, he could make that call. Before he could complete his task, however, he felt a gust of wind blow through the front door, the soft jingle of a bell accompanying it.

“We are closed…” Atem called, looking up from the till to catch a sight for his truly sore eyes. “Yugi!”

“Atem!” the short, tricolour haired man panted back in response, as if he had just ran all the way here. “I caught you! I made it in time!”

“Yes, you did.” Atem stared on in befuddlement, moving slowly around the counter to walk towards the doorway. “I.. I texted you earlier. Did you receive my messages?”

Yugi’s eyes widened in recognition. “Oh, I’m so sorry! My phone battery died before I could even read them, let alone reply.”

Atem let out this breath in a sigh of relief, and for the first time in a few hours, he smiled easily. "It’s good to see you’re alright. So, how was your date? If you went on one, that is."

Yugi smiled back at him, pulling off a mitten while he spoke "It was alright. We are not going out again, but we went to this little craft fair downtown. You should have seen some of the handmade goodies we found!"

As Yugi continued his story, Atem was drawn in by that infectious excitement. It sounded like a lovely locale for a date, even though it did not work out in the end. Not that Atem was all that fussed about the outcome. Quite the opposite actually. "Sounds amazing, Yugi."

"Oh, it was!" a beat caught after the exclamation, the other's eyes drifting to the floor as he pulled off his other mitten. "I hope you don't mind, but when we were looking around, I saw something that reminded me of, well, you."

Atem's heart leapt into his throat as he watched Yugi procure a small box from his coat pocket. He had got him something? Although the sweet and thoughtful gesture made him want to scoop Yugi up into his arms this very moment, a sharp spike of concern shot through his warmth. He did not know that they were exchanging gifts! He had nothing to give in return!

"Yugi... you didn't have to... I don't have anything —"

The notes of Yugi's nervous laughter cut through his protest. "I know I didn't have to, but I saw this and I  _ wanted _ to. You don't have to give me anything back, Atem. In fact, you've given me so much already that, if anything, it's my turn to give you something!"

The item was held out in offering, and Atem reached out to take it. He shed the box, the item within feeling heavier in his hand than its size would have suggested. One part was smooth and round beneath the snowflake adorned tissue paper. He carefully unwrapped the present, and upon seeing what it was, his heart threatened to burst.

It was a snow globe of a winterscape, three people bundled up in toques and mittens skating on a frozen pond, coniferous trees dotted along its periphery.

"I, uh, saw this snow globe and it reminded me of that Christmas Eve tradition you and your family had growing up." Yugi explained.

He could not tear his eyes away from the globe.

This gift was thoughtful beyond compare, and he was left speechless from its splendor. How had he been so lucky to have someone so wonderful walk into his life? He could not wait for these twelve dates to be over so he could finally lay out his heart and let the chips fall where they may. Really, it was hard to refrain from this sort of conversation right now, every nerve and brain cell screaming in unison to reach across the small space between them and close the gap.

To reach out to the other.

To just grab his hand.

To crush him against his chest.

To-

“Uh, you’ve been staring at the snow globe for a while now… I’m sorry, was that too much? Or weird or something?”

The uncertainty and apprehension of Yugi’s backtrack drove him forward, placing a hand on the other’s shoulder and giving a gentle squeeze. “Yugi, no, not at all! I was just thinking about how considerate and perfect this gift is. Thank you so very much.”

Nerves were replaced by genuine joy as Yugi’s smile grew wide. “I’m glad you like it. Merry early Christmas, Atem.”

_ Merry Christmas indeed _ , Atem thought to himself as he slowly disengaged his hand to re-wrap the snow globe for safe keeping during his travels. Once it was wrapped again, he looked back towards Yugi. “Well, I’m nearly done closing and well, I was wondering if maybe I… can I walk you home?” he breathed out.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Then Yugi nodded back gently. Before he let his tongue say the damning things he wanted but could not say in this moment say, Atem announced he was going to finish up then go to the back to get his bag. He hurried through the rest of his close, face turned down to hide the almost giddy smile that kept pulling at his lips.

***

_ “Can I walk you home?” _

The words had sounded like the sweetest melody to Yugi’s ears and they had made his heart soar so high that he thought his feet would lift up off the ground at that moment. He had really hoped the blush on his cheeks was not as apparent as it felt and that his heartbeat would slow down for him to regain the ability to speak let alone breathe correctly.

He was only able to nod softly at the time and once Atem had returned from collecting his bag, they fell into quiet strides as they exited the shop into the night, Atem probably remembering where they were headed since they had taken that same path the night prior.

Right then, Yugi wanted a lot of things.

He wanted to smile brightly.

He wanted to gaze into those crimson eyes without guilt.

He wanted to reach and grabbed the other’s mitten covered hand.

He wanted to lay a head on his shoulder.

He wanted to grab the lapels of his jacket and-

“No car, huh?” Atem asked.

_ Yup, a little too fast here brain, slow down and let me be! _

The fact that Atem was very single and very available had suddenly opened up the door to a thousand possibilities in his mind, but he did not even know if the other was interested in him that way. There had been times he thought the feeling was mutual, but others when the barista had retreated into his shell as if he was having second thoughts about even just chatting with him.

But he needed to focus on the now and not all these ambiguous moments.

He sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. “Well, I do have one, but I rarely use it.” His eyes drifted towards the lights hanging for the lampposts and the clear winter sky sprinkled with stars. “I prefer walking, especially on nights like tonight.”

When his eyes drifted back to his walking companion, he noticed the other was looking straight at him and he swore there was something there. Something that had also been lingering on many previous occasions it seems. “Yeah, I’d take more nights like this too,” Atem spoke, his voice barely loud enough for him to hear.

The very warm emotion that filled Yugi’s heart was suddenly too much to handle. This was all too much, too soon, too intense and he needed an out or he would end up doing something inconsiderate and probably stupid.

He cleared his throat before swiftly changing the topic. “So hum… I got my last date tomorrow.”

Atem smirked at him. “Are you still going to be cryptic about tonight’s?”

Yugi laughed at the quip as he remembered Marik’s secrecy about their date, keeping Atem out of the loop for the first time ever. “I have a feeling you’ll know soon enough,” he replied.

The barista raised an eyebrow, but the smile was still present on his lips. “What do you m-watch out!”

Yugi was so preoccupied with their exchange he did not notice the sidewalk suddenly become as slippery as a freshly poured ice rink. His feet gave out under him and he prepared himself for a rough impact on the ground… that never happened. A strong hand grabbed his elbow and held him straight, sending him promptly against Atem’s chest as the other helped him regain his balance. Yugi’s hand instinctively grabbed onto the other’s shoulders, his eyes still closed from fear of the fall. The barista’s available arm came to rest against his lower back, safely grounding him.

And Yugi swore that was the moment his heart skipped a beat.

Or probably a few dozen beats.

He cracked open his eyes and crimson orbs were looking back into his, their faces closer than they had even been before. So much closer.

Another skipped beat.

“T-thanks,” Yugi breathed out.

Another.

“My pleasure,” Atem whispered back and the soft release of air reached his lips.

His lips seemed to come closer by minute increments and he did not know if he was the one leaning in or if they both were, but the distance was getting shorter and shorter and sho-

**Girl look at that body**

**Girl look at that body**

**Girl look at that body**

**I-I-I work out**

The moment was instantly broken as the world started reappearing around them. Atem pulled away, sighing loudly, before reaching for his phone inside his coat pocket. His eyes grew wide as he recognized both the ringtone and the caller on his phone.

“I just…” he mumbled, a strange urgency in his eyes. “I have to take this. Marik never calls, he texts.”

Yugi shook his hands in front of him. “No, no, go ahead! I understand!”

Atem took a couple of steps away and answered his phone, having a quick hushed conversation, but the tone of it made Yugi question what had happened between the time they had parted ways when he had left the fair. He seemed to be in good spirits, but Atem looked worried as he spoke to him on the phone right now. He quickly hung up and turned around, sadness in his eyes.

He closed the distance between them once again with a few steps towards him. “I have to go, I’m so sorry again,” he explained with a mix of honesty and guilt.

Yugi just nodded, still half dazed about that almost kiss just a few minutes before.

He turned around to head home, but a hand in his made the breath he had been holding catch in his throat. He glanced at their intertwined hands before looking back at the barista. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” Atem asked, hopeful.

Yugi gave him the brightest smile he had ever given anyone. “I’ll be there,” he answered.

The hand around his squeezed lightly before it let go. “Goodnight Yugi.”

Yugi took a calculated step back when all he really wanted was to take one forward. “Goodnight Atem.”

He watched as Atem started jogging down the street, now carrying another piece of his heart he had just willingly gave him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Tumblrs:  
> [xauroraxborealisx](https://xauroraxborealisx.tumblr.com/)  
> [Atems-leather-pants](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com/)


	13. Peppermint Mocha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 23th - T minus 1 days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! Sorry for the delay! This was a chapter that we were both very excited about and we wanted to make sure it was done juuuust right before we posted.
> 
> Also please note that the rating of this fic has changed. Do whatever you please with that information.
> 
> <3 Aurora and Pants

When Yugi woke up that morning, he stretched languorously before letting a loud, heartfelt yawn that sent Sudoku jumping straight out of the bed. His alarm clock had not even rang yet and he was up, bright and earlier than he could have ever imagined before.

Tomorrow, two of his best friends were getting married.

Tomorrow, he would ask Atem out.

Tomorr-

_ Wait a second… why am I waiting until tomorrow, again? _

He did not need to wait anymore. Heck, something might have happened last night if Marik had not suddenly called the barista deep in the middle of a crisis it seems. Yugi looked at the palm of his hand and remembered how Atem’s had fit in it so well during that very short moment they had shared.

He grabbed his phone from his night table and powered it on. He quickly swept away his daily gift and opened up his contact list, thumbing down to his best friend. 

Excitement was bubbling up in him and it was hard to contain it. “Ryou, my man!” he exclaimed as soon as the other picked up.

Ryou chuckled on the other end. “What’s got you so cheerful, Casanova? Found your date yet? Because, you know… the wedding  _ is  _ tomorrow.”

Yugi started pacing in his living room, incapable of staying glued to one spot. “Nope, but if I play my cards right, I might!”

“Your Advent Match date today looks that promising?” the white haired man replied with enthusiasm.

Yugi shook his head vigorously, a smiled still stuck on his lips. “No, I haven’t even opened it up yet!”

There was an awkward pause before Ryou sighed. “Yugi, you’re usually not this perky in the morning and I have yet to finish my tea, so can you please try to make some semblance of sense?”

Yugi finally sat down on his couch, realising that his pacing was going to damage his floor if he continued to walk as energetically as he was. “Remember my date last night?” he asked.

His friend hummed. “Yes, with the cheating boyfriend.”

The tricolour haired man nodded as Sudoku jumped up on his lap and settled on them for a much-needed petting session after that rude awakening. “Well, it turns out there was no cheating boyfriend,” he started. “Actually, there was no boyfriend at all.”

He then started recounting the rest of his evening to his best friend, explaining how he had clearly misread the situation from the start and how Marik was actually a really sweet guy and a pretty good best friend to Atem.

“So you’re telling me that Barista Boy was available all this time and that you could have snatched him from the very beginning?” Ryou questioned when he ended his story.

Suddenly, Yugi lost all his previous confidence. Would he have done things differently if he had known Atem was single? Maybe not. All of what had happened between them over the course of the past two weeks was pretty precious to him, and honestly, he would not change a thing about how they had come to know each other through all these little encounters.

“Well, no, I mean, we got to know each other and that’s how I knew I liked him and all…” he mumbled back.

He had to jerk the phone away when Ryou started voicing his suggestion a little too loudly for his poor ear. “So what are you still doing on the phone with me instead of serenading him under his window or something?!”

Yugi swallowed. Yeah, why was he still sitting there without a plan? “Well, I… don’t know,” he confessed.

A beat. “What do you mean, you don’t know?”

Then all his nerves came crashing down on him again. “I don’t know how to do this, how to tell him I like him and ask him out and-“

Ryou cut him off promptly. “Yugi, shut up for a second. You like this guy, and by like, I mean a whole lot. You’ve been side-dating each other for these past twelve days. You should just walk up to him, kiss the heck out of him already and ask him to the wedding.”

Yugi still managed a small laugh. “That is very unlikely and you know it.”

He could hear the smile and the affection in Ryou’s tone. “Yeah, but sweetie? Be bold!”

He took a deep breath in. His best friend was right. He needed to man up and just go for what he wanted. And what he wanted was Atem, he was certain of that now. “So right after my own shift, I’ll walk over to the café and ask him out.”

“And kiss him,” Ryou added.

Yugi smiled fondly. “I’ll start with the asking out part.”

Ryou cheered into the phone before remembering something. “Oh, but what about your gift date?”

Yugi looked at his phone screen where the gift was still waiting for him in the notifications. “I… I don’t think I’ll open it today.”

“Aren’t you the least bit curious?” Ryou inquired, his own curiosity showing.

The tricolour haired man swiped the notification away once more with a tender smile. He did not need a mystery date anymore. His own heart had decided it had had enough of the mysteries for at least two lifetimes! “Not anymore. I don’t need to be.”

Ryou’s tone shifted to that of a teary-eyed mother. “My little baby’s all grown up.” Then it turned back into his regular teasing one. “Now go get your man!”

Yugi rolled his eyes at his friend’s eagerness. “Tonight,” he reminded him.

Ryou groaned into the phone. “Tonight, now, whenever soon!”

Even though the nervousness was still very much present, Yugi could affirm one thing with certainty: tonight could not come fast enough.

***

Atem relieved one of his baristas from her shift and took his place behind the counter, his crisp red apron on, ready for the day ahead. He could not help but daydream about round purple eyes and lips within reach and just-

A box with the familiar name of a bakery down the street appeared right in front of him. He shook his head and looked at another set of purple eyes, lined with dark circles, but more settled than they had been last night.

“What is this?” Atem said without breaking eye contact with Marik.

His best friend offered him an apologetic smile. “A peace offering.”

Atem sighed, his hand coming to rest atop the box. “Marik, I already told you-“

Marik’s hand shot through the air, stopping his reply. “I know you did, like a dozen times, and yet, here I am, bringing you a box of those cinnamon beignets you would die for and saying I’m sorry for the thirteenth time.”

“And that is total-“ the other started with a genuine smile, but was cut off again.

The blonde pushed the box closer to him. “Oh for fuck’s sake, can you please just accept them?!”

The tanned man rolled his eyes before sighing again, but in defeat this time. “Fine, but only because they’re delicious, not because you needed to apologize yet again.”

He opened up the box, immediately salivating as the cinnamon sugar scent filled his nose. He picked up one and also moaned in delight as he bit into it.

At the same time, Marik slapped both of his hands loudly atop the counter. “How could I not apologize to you when I interrupted  _ A MOMENT _ between you and Cutie Pie?!”

Recalling that moment, Atem felt like the universe had played the worst joke on him. Yugi had been right there in his arms, both completely alone in this little bubble that had seemed to create itself around them, and he could not tell if he had been leaning in or if Yugi had been the one moving, but it seemed the distance between them was slowly but surely reducing and he had forgotten to breathe right there and the moment had been so romantic somehow and…

Marik had called. Marik never called, unless it was an emergency. And Atem never failed to pick up when that happened. He had been so distressed over the phone, almost unable to formulate a complete sentence that Atem had simply told him he was coming over.

_ Atem jogged all the way to Marik’s place, still in a daze from what had almost happened between Yugi and himself. Thankfully he had been bold enough to grab the other’s hand and ask him if he would come by the shop tomorrow before running off in the direction of Marik’s place. It had been a spur of the moment thing, and he did not even know how he had managed such a feat while keeping his voice as steady as he did. His palm was still warm when he rang his best friend’s doorbell. _

_ Atem instantly knew he had made the right decision by coming over. _

_ Marik did not look like a mess. His hair was still mostly in place, his clothes looked fine, but Atem knew how to read the little details in his friend’s appearance. The twitches in the fingers were there, the nervous habit of playing with his earrings, but mostly, the anxiety clearly displayed into his purple eyes. _

_ And then the word vomit happened. “Atem, I’m a fucked up jerk! Like literally, the worst friend, the worst date, the worst person in the world!” _

_ Atem was still peeling his boots from his feet and trying to do it as fast as he could. “Where in the world is this coming from? You were fine today. What happened on your date?” _

_ Marik started pacing like an animal in a cage. “My date was fine, great even! That’s what the problem is!” _

_ The tricolour haired man finally made it to the couch and sat down, knowing full well that trying to restrain his friend in his movements right now would only provoke an even more nervous reaction. “You are a tough one to follow, Marik…” he answered calmly, but confused. _

_ “I MET SOMEONE!” Marik blurted out loudly. _

_ Atem nodded before asking: “Tonight?” _

_ The other was still pacing back and forth, not even looking at him, and pulling on one of his earrings, caressing it with his thumb in an attempt to calm himself. “No, not tonight. Well, I did, but not someone  _ someone _ , but that’s not the point.” He finally took a breath. “I think I might like this guy.” _

_ Oh. _

_ Oh. Well this was new. And this would totally explain the completely different behaviour his best friend was displaying at the moment. _

_ “Is he the reason you skipped some dates?” he said, trying to get more information about the issue. _

_ Marik slapped both of his palms against his eyes, jerking his head back dramatically. “Maybe?” _

_ Atem started poking around, asking if he called or texted him, or even saw him after their date. Anything really. As he asked his questions, he grabbed a blanket Marik kept on the couch and unfolded it. _

_ “That’s the problem,” Marik answered, his eyes still evading him. “I didn’t! And I want to, but I’m not sure I should, or maybe I-“ _

_ Atem walked over to him. “Marik…” he spoke softly. _

_ “What?!” the other almost shouted, his eyes finally meeting his. _

_ Atem swiftly wrapped the blanket around him and pulled him into his arms. “You’re having one of your panic attacks right now.” _

_ “I am not!” Marik immediately retorted before taking in a sharp breath and Atem felt him let go right there. “Oh, shit I totally am!” _

Atem had stayed at Marik’s place, making some tea and not poking around the issue more, knowing his friend would open up about it on his own terms when he was ready. Just the fact that he had admitted he might like someone was a huge step. Eventually, Marik had calmed down enough to confess the details of his date last night. Atem had almost dropped his mug when he heard the news.

He had wanted to be mad at his friend for not divulging this information before, but he was more upset about the fact that his best friend had matched with his crush and not him! However, he was happy to hear about what they did, and how Marik found Yugi so adorable. There were just enough details in his story that he could picture their evening, smiling about how nice it must have been.

And then he had offered his own story about the end of his evening and Marik had blanched, guilt written on his face about how he had probably cockblocked his best friend with the worst timing possible. He had joked about how karma was really a bitch, but he had spent the rest of their evening apologizing and trying to come up with ways to make it up to him.

Hence the beignets he was now happily munching on.

He offered one to his friend before replying. “Marik, I don’t even know if it was a moment, alright? It may have felt like it to me, but maybe I’m just reading all the signs wrong and-“

The blonde raised a dubious eyebrow. “Atem, you know I love you, right?” And the Marik he knew was back full force.

“I’m afraid of answering this question,” he retorted, frowning.

“You have to get your head out of your ass. This guy likes you!”

Last night, Marik had not gone into depth about the conversation he had had with Yugi, but he had told him that they did have a good time, and that Yugi had mentioned Atem during the evening, even leaving their date when he noticed he had missed his messages due to his dead phone battery.

Atem had smiled at this, but he could not help but wonder if it was all just Yugi being his ever sweet and friendly self, or if it could indeed be something more.

And god, did he wish it was the latter.

A familiar jingle rang from Marik’s phone and he looked it up, quickly closing the gift from Advent Match without even a second glance at who it was.

Atem crossed his arms and huffed. “I’m still mad at this.”

“At what?” Marik asked between bites of a beignet.

“At the fact that you two matched and we did not,” the tricolour haired man sighed. “How unlucky can I be?”

Marik rolled his eyes and slapped him across the arm. “Fuck the app, alright! Cutie Pie is a catch and you should definitely do something about it and stop wasting time with any more excuses!”

Atem felt a strong blush coming, but chose to hide it away by focusing on wiping at some cinnamon sugar that had fallen onto the countertop. “He sure is,” he whispered more to himself.

Marik grabbed his shoulder from across the counter. “Then go for him!” he exclaimed while shaking him.

Atem bit his lower lip, insecurity building up atop his nerves. “How? I’m not… good with that sort of stuff.”

For a second, Marik just blinked at him before laughing. “I don’t know! Bake him a cake, sing him a song, build him a snowman, anything! Just fucking do it!”

The tanned man nodded before grabbing the box of treats and storing it aside for later. He turned his back to his friend, but seemed to hesitate a moment, and turned back around. “You really think I should build him a snowman?” he asked.

Marik groaned. “You’re an idiot.”

He finished his own beignet before moving on. “But hey, if all hell breaks loose, you could still come with me to the wedding and we could crash this thing together!”

Atem’s eyes went wide. “What wedding?”

Marik was now looking at his fingernails very attentively, knowing it was currently driving Atem crazy when he did it. “The wedding I’ve been invited to by my dance class friend… and the one Yugi is also going to.”

The barista was right back into the other’s bubble. “How did you-“

“It may have come up in the discussion last night,” his friend answered with a large grin.

Atem grabbed the other’s sweater and pulled him closer, menacingly. “And you’re only mentioning this now?”

Marik kept on playing the complete innocent one in this. “Well, I could use a plus one…” he winked before clearing his throat. “… and a chauffeur.”

Atem dropped his hands and sighed loudly. “Who’s the idiot now?”

***

Yugi had checked himself in the mirror too many times to count. He had changed shirts three times before settling on a purple and black flannel to go with a fitted pair of jeans and his trusty leather bracers and choker. He had pulled his hair back and applied just a smidge of eyeliner because he liked the way it framed his eyes. He had given himself not one but two motivational speeches while Sudoku just watched him with curiosity, perched on the edge of the bathtub.

“What? I’m nervous, alright? I really like this guy!” he replied to her meowing.

He grabbed his toque and scarf, dressed up for the outdoors in his woolen duffel coat and headed out, closing all the lights behind him except for his Christmas tree, which he left on a timer. He took a deep breath before heading towards the elevator.

_ I can do this! _

He walked out of his building and headed straight for the café. His shift had ended a bit later today, but he still wanted to come back home and have a shower and change before going to see Atem. The shower was mostly to calm his jittery nerves, not that it had done any good.

He trotted down the streets, happily noticing that large, fluffy flakes had started falling down softly from the sky, complementing the cool but agreeable weather, his favourite kind of winter weather really.

_ I can do this…, _ he kept repeating to himself as he neared the café.

He could see the sign a few blocks down and suddenly his smile froze on his face and he found himself frozen on the spot.

_ I can’t do this! _

He briskly turned around and instantly ran into another person walking down the sidewalk.

“I’m so sorry, I should hav-“ he stuttered out quickly.

“Yugi?” the man right in front of him replied.

He knew that voice, he remembered it. And that expensive coat paired with those equally expensive red mittens. He met a pair of emerald eyes as he looked up.

“Hi Otogi!” Yugi exclaimed a little too loudly, quite stunned to see him here, walking down the street instead of driving around in his Bentley.

The black haired man chuckled. “What a nice surprise, I never expected to see you after that rejection you whipped upon me.”

Yugi huffed, crossing his arms. “Well, maybe if you had been a tad less excessive…” he muttered.

Otogi bent down so that his eyes were leveled with Yugi’s and winked. “That would not have changed anything, right?”

The tricolour haired man frowned. “What do you mean?” he asked.

The other smirked knowingly. “I mean, the way you refused a ride home because you wanted to stay behind and chat with the barista.”

“That’s not-“ Yugi started to retort, but stopped himself. He knew better than to try to convince himself otherwise at that point. “Oh.”

Otogi jerked his head towards the café. “Were you going to meet up with him now?”

“Yeah, I was actually… going to ask him out,” Yugi felt his voice falter, just like his confidence.

The man in front of him raised an amused eyebrow as he replied. “Looks to me like you were actually going to go in the opposite direction.”

“No?” Yugi shook his head unconvincingly.

Otogi straight out laughed. He took a few seconds to calm down his chuckles. “Look, can I be honest for a minute? Any guy would be crazy to refuse you a date. I mean, I’d take a second one if you offered even after you rejected all my affections.”

Yugi pinched the bridge of his nose while he exhaled. “I did not reject them that badly…”

The other pointed towards the coffee shop. “The point is: turn around, get inside that café and ask the barista out. Because if you don’t, I will. He did look cute.”n

Yugi suddenly felt himself flush and he held a menacing finger towards Otogi. “Don’t you dare-“

Otogi grabbed both his shoulders, swiftly turning him on his heels and pushed him towards his previous intended direction. “And now, use all that pent up energy on someone else other than me. I got one last date to get to.” Otogi gave Yugi’s butt a brisk swat as he passed him by, making the other jump in surprise. “You got this, Yugi!” he said as he retreated.

Yugi was back where he had started a few minutes ago, but this time, he noticed Atem wiping one of the tables close to the large windows attentively. Today, he was wearing a gorgeous hooded wine coloured sweater that hugged his frame just perfectly, yet loose enough to look utterly comfortable. He had pulled the sleeves back, the caramel skin of his forearms exposed along a few bracelets on one of his wrists. He had taken off his apron, meaning it was probably near closing time as Yugi had calculated in his mind. There seemed to be no patrons left in the café.

_ Perfect timing, I guess. _

He had texted Atem earlier today, saying he would pass by much later than his usual date time, so that he would not worry like yesterday. The barista had seemed intrigued by his reply, but had not pushed his questioning further, except saying that he would be there when he showed up, as usual.

He watched Atem work for a few more seconds before moving right in front of the window and knocking softly. The other instantly looked up and smiled brightly. He moved towards the door automatically and opened it up for Yugi.

Yugi stepped inside, and Atem closed the door and locked it back behind him. He knew Atem still had a few minute tasks left to do before he was done, he had seen him work a close a few times now. While he waited for Atem to finish up, he unbuttoned his coat and took it off as he sat on one of the stools, one of his favourite spots in the café. This was one of the spots he had shared a few conversations with Atem now while eating cookies or drinking various beverages.

He loosened up his scarf and shook the numerous snowflakes from his toque, but kept it on. Atem moved over to the other side of the counter and started working on two drinks immediately without saying anything. Yugi eyed him curiously before he set the two mugs down alongside two cookies on a plate before coming to sit next to Yugi on the adjacent stool. 

“When you said later, I didn’t realise it meant closing time.”

Yugi took one sip of the drink topped with just the perfect amount of whipped cream and a sprinkle of what he recognized were candy cane pieces. He instantly knew what the coffee was. Atem had crafted the most delicious peppermint mocha for the two of them, the one coffee he had yet to try on the café’s holiday menu. The one coffee he was saving for last.

Yugi then took one of the cookies and split it in two, focusing on the crumbs falling onto the white plate, unable to look at Atem. He needed to breathe, but really, he needed to just go for it. Although, this was so much harder to do if those gorgeous crimson eyes were looking back at him. Especially since the barista had pulled his hair up, making them pop brighter than they usually did. “Well, it needed to be later for my date plans to work out,” he offered as an explanation.

Atem took a bite of his own cookie he had just dipped in his coffee. “Oh, how did tonight’s date go then?” he inquired.

Yugi was finding it hard to formulate his idea, playing with the crumbs, not even eating the cookie itself. “Well, it, hum… hasn’t happened yet, you see,” he mumbled.

The barista almost choked on his drink as he took a sip. He cleared his throat as he put the glass down. “They’re meeting you here?”

The other man pushed back his bang behind his ear casually, trying to hide the growing blush his cheeks were now sporting.

_ Why is this so hard? _

_ Just say it. SAY IT! _

“Sort of.”

_ And failed. _

Atem angled his body towards him a little more, resting his head on his palm, elbow on the counter. He looked at Yugi with an almost childish curiosity. “You’re being very cryptic, should I be worried?”

Yugi gulped and finally managed to lift his eyes to meet the barista’s face. Why did Atem have to be so gorgeous under the dim lighting on the café, with his scarlet eyes looking at him with wonder and that tiny smirk just teasing the side of his lips! However, it was the care behind the words that really got to Yugi. There was care in everything Atem did, whether it was preparing a drink or listening to his daily date review, or walking him back home, or just… anything.

And suddenly those eyes darted from his down to the counter and Yugi’s followed them. There, on the wooden surface, Yugi’s pale hand had reached for Atem’s tanned one and gently laid on it. He could not even tell how it had happened, but it did.

“Atem”, Yugi heard himself say and slowly, those red coloured orbs were back on his, his lips slightly opened in hesitation and the softest hint of a blush on his cheeks. “I would like my last date to be… you,” he whispered.

Atem’s eyes were glued to his, and he did not move a muscle. It took him a few more seconds to process the information, and even then, his answer was not quite what Yugi would have expected.

“Can you repeat that?” the barista said, his face still neutral.

Yugi flushed in embarrassment. This was worse than he had imagined. Was Atem trying to find the best way to let him down gently? Had he been so quiet Atem had not heard him right? The customer took a deep breath before blurting out the question again at the speed of light. “Would you like to go on a date with-“

Atem cut him off before he was even done. “Yes.” He nodded energetically. “Absolutely.”

Yugi released the breath he had been holding and he felt his nerves detangling themselves, like elastics slapping back into place. This release brought forth a nervous bubble of laughter that escaped his lips as he tried to take another breath.

Atem had just said yes.

To a date with him.

After days of uncertainty, a bright star had just appeared into Yugi’s otherwise dark sky. This rush felt better than any dose of caffeine he had ever ingested. He wanted to jump on the barista and hug the life out of him, and probably knock the breath out of him too by kissing those pink lips that were also failing at keeping in the other’s nervous chuckle. But he opted for a more subdued approach and just squeezed the hand in his lightly.

Then a thought hit him.

He blinked at the other before confessing. “I… I haven’t really thought this out much further than just asking you out.”

Atem smiled sweetly at him. “Well, I’m almost done, I’ve just got to grab my coat and bag from the back, so just… anything will be fine.” He squeezed his hand back before gently retrieving it. “I’ll be fine with anything.”

He took away their dirty dishes after Yugi piled them up for him. He aligned the jars and bottles on the counter and after a quick look around, told Yugi that he would be back in a few minutes.

Yugi could not help the wide smile that stretched across his lips as a happy sigh made its way out of his mouth. Now that his nerves were settled, he could bask in this glorious joy of finally opening up his heart to the barista that had weaved his way into it.

His phone buzzed and he absentmindedly reached for it. The lock screen showed a message from Ryou right under the pop-up reminder to open his daily gift for Advent Match. He swiped to open his best friend’s text, but instead, his thumb slid on the dating app and it instantly opened up his awaiting offering. He went to close the app, but stopped when he recognized the face staring back at him on his phone.

No.

This had to be a mistake.

This could not be possible!

A trick of his mind or a glitch.

But the picture stayed there as clear as day, crimson eyes staring into the distance instead of the camera like most selfies.

The taste of betrayal against his tongue was bitter. How could Atem not tell him he had signed up for the app too? How could he just act so casual about him dating his way through a slew of horrible people and not say anything? Had Atem been seeing other people all this time too, but had not told him anything about it? Was Yugi just another one of those dates? Did he know they had matched and was just waiting for Yugi to do something about it like the desperate man he had appeared to be?

“Well, fuck me. I’m an idiot.”

And without another thought, he grabbed his coat, completely forgetting his phone on the counter and ran out of the café. He felt the tears prickling his eyes, while his heart tore from the sadness and anger. Sadness at feeling his guts being twisted against his will and anger at himself for even believing in such a stupid thing as a Christmas miracle.

He did not care about slipping on the ice, briskly walking back the way he came from. He did not care that the streets were empty and that plump snowflakes were still falling softly from the sky. He did not care about anything but getting as far away from the Rise and Grind as possible.

He also did not care that hurried footsteps seemed to catch up with him.

He had almost made it back to his shop, where he could find refuge if he needed, but he did not have time to get his keys out and open the door.

“Yugi? Yugi, wait! Where are you going?” Atem’s voice felt like a whiplash on his heart, and then he was stopped by a hand grabbing his elbow firmly, but also gently. The movement caused him to turn around, but he did not want to face the barista when the tears that had yet to fall were still prickling his eyes so much. “What’s wrong?” Atem asked, worried.

The tenderness in the other’s voice was the last straw on Yugi’s very frail composure at the moment. He jerked his arm out of the other’s grip. “What’s wrong?!” he exclaimed, his voice harsh. The rest came tumbling down even harsher, the hurt in them raw. “What’s wrong is that you were also on Advent Match and did not tell me! What’s wrong is that you watched me suffer through those dates like you were not doing the exact same thing on your side!”

Atem’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “Yugi, it’s not what-“ he tried intervening.

But Yugi just kept going, all the pressure and pain from this whole experience suddenly begging to be set free. “Did you have a good laugh at my expense, while I was pouring out my feelings after each of them like some desperate single looking for love? Did you laugh even louder when you found out we had matched?”

The barista’s eyes went even wider if that was possible. “We matched?” he simply said.

By now, Yugi was ashamed, but also annoyed at how still casual the other was acting. He just wanted him to drop the charade so he could stop liking him so much. So he could pin his current misery of someone who was mean and cruel, not the kind man he had come to know. “Oh, don’t act like you didn’t know! So what? You were waiting for me to make an even bigger fool out of myself and-“

This time, Atem's voice cut through the other’s tirade. “Yugi, I signed up for the app because of you!”

Yugi’s mind came to a halt at the sudden interruption. “What?” he could only manage.

Atem took a careful step towards him. Yugi only noticed now that the other had not even had time to zip up his coat. His toque and scarf seemed to have been put hastily, and a messenger back was barely hanging from on his shoulder. The barista gulped before he continued. “I signed up because I thought this was the only way to get your attention. You seemed so set on finding someone for that wedding using the app, and I did not want to want to waste my chance and hoped that we could match and that you’d... notice me.”

Yugi’s heart was beating so loudly inside his chest that it rang all the way to his ears. “You wanted to match with me?” he breathed out.

Atem nodded as he took another step. “That’s the only reason I signed up for it. And I didn’t even know we matched because I did not care about it anymore… I didn’t even open up my gift today.” He was now only one step away from him. “I was about to ask you out if you had not already beaten me to the punch tonight.” 

Once again, Yugi did the only thing he knew how to do in these moments. He laughed. Laughed at the hilarity of the both of them standing in the snow with their coats open as if they were not cold. Laughed at his own stupid misunderstanding of the whole situation from the very beginning. Laughed at how they had both been so dumb as to not to see what everyone else could see from a mile away.

He hid his face behind his hands both in relief and in embarrassment. “I kept going on those dates because, until last night, I thought you were dating Marik,” he muttered through his fingers.

He heard Atem shuffle his feet. “You… wait, what?”

Yugi shook his head, still ashamed at his imbecile mistake. “Yeah, I thought you were friendzoning me.”

Atem peeled his hands away from his face and offered him the most genuine of smiles when he dared to look back at him. “And I thought you were not interested,” the barista replied, his voice almost a whisper.

Yugi’s face heated up despite the cold, and so did his whole body when he noticed how close Atem was to him now. “I’ve been interested for quite some time now,” he answered.

Atem was still holding his hands, somehow warm despite being without mittens. Yugi could only look down at their fingers as they softly intertwined themselves like puzzle pieces fitting perfectly into each other. He did not know what else to add or even what to do, but he knew he wanted to keep smiling until his cheeks hurt.

“Yugi?” Atem said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

The other raised his gaze to him and got lost for a second in those crimson pools staring back at him, sparkling like perfectly shaped garnets. “What?”

Atem’s eyes barely left his as his head jerked towards something above them. “We’re standing under the mistletoe.”

Yugi frowned for a second. They were right under his game shop’s alcove and he found himself perplexed by Atem’s affirmation. He knew he had put decorations in the shop and a nice wreath on the door, but he did not remember hanging anything above the door.

He lifted his gaze up as he answered. “What? I never put mistletoe there.” Yet right there was the branch of leaves and tiny white fruits suspended on a red ribbon. He shook his head and chuckled. “I don-“

The hands that had been warming his were suddenly cradling his face in the most tender way possible. He had very little time to register Atem’s delicate touch, skin meeting skin, that an even more pleasant sensation took over as his lips were caught by another pair.

His eyes fluttered closed and all his senses resonated together, like a symphony of sensations flowing through him. He did not need to see Atem to know the other’s cheeks were probably reddened by now, from the cold, but also from a blush Yugi could feel against his own cheeks. He could feel the warmth of those hands and the softness of those slightly chapped lips that applied just the right amount of pressure to his. He could smell the lingering scent of coffee and pine from the coffee shop Atem had just left in a hurry to come find him.

Any lingering shyness now pushed aside, he flicked his tongue against Atem’s bottom lip. They parted instantly and he was met by another tongue, bringing colourful flavours in its wake. The sweetness of the whipped cream combated the bitter note of coffee, while a sharp peppermint brought further depth to the chocolate. Atem tasted of the beverage they both had drank a few minutes prior, but even better, like if he himself was becoming comforting like an early morning cup of coffee.

Yugi wrapped his arms around Atem’s neck, tilting his head to deepen the kiss as his ears filled with a harmonious sound he wanted to hear it over and over again. Atem moaned against his lips and his hands left his face to press firmly against his back, pulling him closer in their embrace. As soon as their chest connected, even still clothed, Yugi answered Atem’s moan with one of his own that was swallowed just like the previous by their greedy lips and caressing tongues.

All this intense pent-up affection of the past twelve days was reaching its crescendo, catching them in its ascension, and Yugi felt himself rising and rising and wanting so much more of this, so much more of Atem.

But things needed to slow down if he was going to ask the question burning on his mind. He eased his kiss and so did the other in synchronicity. Yugi let his hands slide down to rest in the plies of Atem’s scarf, but Atem’s hands stayed on his lower back, handling him with care. As if one cue, both leaned towards one another, forehead meeting, skin feverish with the need for more of whatever the night had to offer them.

Yugi smiled hopefully. “Walk me home?” he asked.

Atem answered with his own genuine smile and a brush of his nose against Yugi’s. “Gladly.”

***

“So, here we are!” Yugi announced as they stopped outside the door leading to the lobby of his apartment. 

Atem stared at the frosted glass, remarking inwardly how its clarity mirrored that of his thoughts. Ever since that kiss, his mind had been filled with thoughts and realizations that sent him abuzz with delight. Despite their small misunderstanding earlier, tonight had been one of the best nights Atem had experienced in a long time. It was as if he had won the lottery: Yugi skipping his last date on Advent Match to ask him out instead, them actually and miraculously matching on said cheesy app after all this time, his favourite customer liking him back, and that kiss… that kiss! He could not even believe he had initiated it after wanting it for so long it seemed. The way Yugi has just given back as much as he had received was more than he could have ever dreamed of, and it was a moment he would not soon forget. In fact, it was all he could think about right-

“Uh, Earth to Atem.” 

Atem blinked, jostling roughly out of his daze. He looked back towards the man across from him. Yugi held a key card in his hand, the merriment across his features becoming quickly obscured by a tinge of worry. 

“Oh, right, I’m very sorry.” Atem gave his breathy reply.

The worry grew. “Is everything alright? You… don’t have to come inside if you don’t want to.”

That was nowhere near the case, and Atem worked hard to pull himself together and fast. “No, I’d still love to come inside for that coffee you offered on the way over here.” 

At the assurance, the crease in Yugi’s brow melted. With a small smile, he swiped his key at the entrance to his apartment building, a faint beep signalling their rightful passage. Yugi proceeded to prop open the door, a gentle sweep of his arm prompting Atem to pass. 

Their footfalls rang out through the empty lobby as they crossed over to the elevator quietly. The button for the elevator was pressed, and the two men stood shoulder to shoulder awaiting its arrival. The silence persisted, and with every passing second, Atem felt the atmosphere start to shift. He stood still, that bubble of incredulous joy he had felt outside of Yugi’s shop now replaced with something entirely different. While he tried to collect the words that were currently evading him, he watched Yugi chew his lip lightly, eyes firmly up on the numbers atop the elevator doors. 

The more he stared, the more his own thoughts became jumbled. Frustration crept at the edges of Atem’s mind as notions skittered, the right words slipping out of his reach. Why was it suddenly so hard to just… talk to Yugi? Why was this happening now? Then finally, after some effort and a few deep breaths, they settled enough into coherence and he opened his mouth to speak.

“Yu-”

“Hey Ate-”

Both men blinked at each other in shock, their words overlapping and contesting each other in the quiet lobby.

“You first,” Atem prompted with a small smile.

Yugi chuckled lightly in response. “No, you were saying?”

A beat hung between them, then the elevator announced its arrival, doors opening wide to welcome them in. The two men murmured as both tried to usher the other in to a predictable level of success. After a few chuckles, a shuffle and a poignant look, they both finally stood in the elevator facing the closing doors. Yugi pressed a button. 

“Ah, right, so…”

Ping. Second floor.

The small, startling noise threatened to derail his train of thought, but Atem carried on. “I was just going to say that I’m kind of surprised that you asked me to come to your place for coffee.” Atem started, prompting the other to turn in his direction.

Confusion and hesitation marked those violets. “Why is that?”

“Well, it’s quite late and we just had one.”

Ping. Third floor.

Beside him, Atem heard Yugi shuffle his feet and watched him turn to look back at the elevator doors, his shoulder almost grazing his in the process. “Ah, I didn’t actually mean  _ coffee _ coffee.”

Atem narrowed his eyes slightly as he regarded the other, his turn to be confused for a moment. Then he felt it. 

The faintest of brushes against his hand.

Atem looked down, where Yugi’s hand hovered just beyond his, fingers curled slightly away. The other’s gaze remained upon the elevator doors, but Atem did not need to see all of his face to understand his meaning.

_ Oh. _

_ Coffee. _

Atem felt his ears start to prickle and warm, as he cursed his ineptitude. As the notion sunk in, his breath became increasingly harder to catch. He stared at that hand. That hand that had reached out to him, that had held him so tenderly as they kissed just minutes ago. 

His heart skipped a beat.

Ping. Fourth floor.

The heat spread from his ears, down into his chest, igniting a quiver throughout his body. The air between them was charged. As if pulled by a magnetic force, Atem reached out.

A graze, knuckle against knuckle. 

Breaths hitched.

Again, he reached out, this time choosing to envelop that hand in his own. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other’s head dip down towards their entwined hands just as he started slowly running his thumb over Yugi’s knuckle in small smooth circles. 

In synchrony, their eyes caught. 

Ping. Fifth floor.

The double doors spread, granting passage into the hallway beyond. Atem felt the hand in his give a small squeeze, and he allowed himself to be led, remaining a mere half step behind while his heart remained right there beside Yugi.

“Mine’s this one on the left.” Yugi’s phrase was simple, the implications of his words lingering just beneath the surface. The sound of their boots ceased as they came to a stop outside apartment 503.

“You know, I’m really glad you accepted my offer,” Yugi said, not even releasing Atem’s hand to pull his keys out of his coat pocket with his other hand. His downturned eyes glimmered in the half lit hall, “I think it would be nice to treat you for once.”

Atem’s breath caught. “You want to treat me?”

“Yeah…” The key was inserted and the lock was disengaged, “You’ve always been so good to me and well, I guess, I’d really like to do the same for you.”

Feelings and needs within him built quickly as he stared into Yugi’s soft, imploring eyes. They may have only just admitted their feelings and kissed tonight, but for once, he swore to not overthink or delay going for what he really wanted. He needed to seize the moment. And in this moment, all he could think about was how much he wanted to feel those lips against his once again. So soft, and so right.

With a pleased hum, Atem closed the gap, losing himself in glimmering amethyst briefly before soft lips pressed against his own. He felt arms wrapping around his shoulders, pulling him close. With a soft murmur, his name was breathed against his lips, spurring on the flutter in his gut. Atem indulged their embrace as much as he indulged himself, pressing forwards to pin the other firmly against the door. The other’s murmur became a moan as Yugi responded in kind, cool fingers snaking up underneath his scarf to the warm skin at the nape of his neck. Those fingers held him there. Close. Against him. Suddenly, Atem’s parka was much too warm.

“Mmm… Yugi…” his words were the spice to accompany Yugi’s sugar.

Lost in sweetness, peppermint dancing on his tongue once again as it did beneath the mistletoe, he barely heard Yugi’s hand fumble for the door’s handle. After a few grazes of the hand against the painted wood, he heard a telltale click. The door gave way behind them abruptly, its absence nearly sending them careening into the darkened apartment beyond, which was only intermittently illuminated by the lights twinkling from Yugi’s Christmas tree in the far corner. Atem managed a couple stutter steps into the apartment, his hand encircling Yugi’s waist protectively to stop him from toppling head over heels.

“I’ve got you,” Atem assured, his eyes never leaving the other’s.

“Watch yourself there, Atem,” Yugi’s coy smile beneath burning cheeks sent a quiver down his spine, “I wouldn’t want you to fall.”

“It’s too late for that.”

The hand entwined in his hair loosened suddenly and Atem froze. Time stopped as a heat built on his cheeks. __

_ Shit, did I actually just say that aloud? _ He thought to himself as he searched Yugi’s face for a sign, anything at all to indicate that he had not actually just blown everything sky high.

“Yugi…” he began to form his hesitant appeal, reaching out across the chasm he saw unfurling between them. Thankfully, he was not left in limbo for long. Yugi returned, pulling them together by the lapels of his jacket to seal their lips in a sweet, yet decided kiss. Atem reached back and tilted his head, allowing Yugi’s probing tongue to meet his own. He was pulled forward eagerly by a hand knotting in the collar of his coat, their contact never breaking for a moment. In fact, with every touch and caress, they were granted more contact.

Atem was soon relieved of his parka, his emblazoned skin now free of its captor. In response, one of his hands cupped Yugi’s face as the other pulled at his jacket’s buttons, allowing his favourite customer the same reprieve. In a tussle of giggles and moans, boots, scarves, toques as well as his sweater were relinquished in the hunt for  _ more _ . 

More skin.

More contact.

More  _ Yugi. _

Atem pushed forwards, now only in a t-shirt and jeans, which albeit better than his initial bundle was still much too restricting. To his delight, Yugi seemed to think the same. The other’s hands grappled for skin, finally snaking underneath his hem to find their treasure. The caress against his stomach and lower back caused the flutters to intensify, coalescing into a warmth that spread low between his legs. The ache drove him once again to pull closer than their current situation allowed, and Yugi took a step back to accommodate.

“Atem, you’re really - ah!”

The last step he took caused Yugi’s calves to hit the back of the couch. With a small yelp, Yugi careened backwards onto the cushions below.

“Yugi! Are you -” Atem started, eyes wide, but the words fizzled on his tongue before he could even finish. Yugi’s giggle filled his ears and his heart, pulling him right there with him.

“I’m fine,” Yugi’s smile a kindling for the flames threatening to swallow Atem whole, “now come over here.”

Atem did not need to be told twice.

Even this short pause could not calm the burn he felt just by looking at Yugi, every nerve seeming to sizzle beneath his skin. He rounded the couch and pulled himself flush atop Yugi, smothering the other’s come hither smirk with his lips and kissing him senselessly. When he finally pulled away for air, he saw Yugi staring up at him, breathing ragged with something glimmering beyond a tease in his eyes. He looked just how he felt. In this moment, his thighs pressed against the other’s as their eyes gazed on the same level, Atem knew he was a goner.

And he loved it.

“Your wish is my command,” he purred in the other’s ear before gently placing a nip against its lobe, eliciting a sultry gasp.

Open mouthed kisses were painted against the angle of Yugi’s jaw before they found his lips once again. The other’s bottom lip was marked with a nip, a claim of what was yet to come just as Yugi’s fingers found the belt loops of his jeans. Atem lips reclaimed Yugi’s hungrily, and were met by an ardent murmur as he was pulled flush, the other’s legs parting and encircling his calves to facilitate contact. His pulse roared in his ear, swift and steady as he tried to ignore the precarious situation that his jeans posed.

Ignoring it was hard.

Holding back was hard.

_ He _ was hard.

And becoming harder by the second.

A hand found the inner crease of his thigh, a light tease against concealed, sensitive skin. Drifting excruciating slowly, the fingers approached his arousal.

Atem sucked a breath, causing the tentative hand to stop its ascent.

“Is this alright?” Yugi asked, the other’s whisper tainted with hesitation and partially drowned out by the beat of his own heart rushing by.

Atem wanted to reassure Yugi that he did want this, that even though it may seem fast, that he wanted and needed all of him too. “More than alright.” he smirked, the smile twisting slightly in pleasure as the hand ascended once again.

Atem pulled in close, capturing those sweet, supple lips between his own once again with a hum as Yugi’s hand found the spot. Truth be told, Atem did not need much encouragement in that department, but he nonetheless savored the gentle rub, the friction delightfully teasing through his jeans. He let his pleasure show in the caresses of his own hand, which had found skin beneath Yugi’s flannel shirt. As the pads of his fingers found their mark just below Yugi’s nipple, Atem felt Yugi shiver beneath him despite skin paradoxically ablaze. After a fleeting tease and a mental note to return to this later, his fingers glided back down across Yugi’s abdomen before pulling at the hem.

He needed that shirt off now before he tore it to pieces to reach more of the treat that was hidden under. The shiver turned into a shimmy, and the flannel shirt was finally liberated with some effort and a couple lost buttons. Even in the dim light of the living room, Atem could see the gentle toned contours of Yugi’s body. A quiet strength to match his big heart.

He was amazing.

Absolutely amazing.

And Atem wanted a taste of all of it right now. There was no more room for hesitation and indecision between them. There was only them. He wanted to dive into those warm sensations like a man without water in a desert dying to wet his lips.

With a moan of his own, Atem bent to paint the creamy skin of his pecs with butterfly kisses before teasing a nipple with his tongue. Yugi sucked in a breath as Atem started to lick, releasing it in an erogenous shuddering sigh. The pert nipples now pinkened, Atem continued his quest to know every crease and crevice. He looped a finger underneath Yugi’s leather choker before pulling in to nuzzle deep into the crook of his neck.

“Ah-Atem…” The sweet bubble met his ears just as his tongue tasted skin. Atem savoured the faint salinity of sweat paired with sweet susurrations spurring him on. His name said in such a lewd, but affectionate way sent delicate shivers down his own spine. Yugi’s murmurs lost their coherence and became more guttural. Their sentiment, however, remained clear as day.

“Ahhhnnnn…” a hand knotted in his hair, pushing him into that spot just as Atem started to suck. He could feel Yugi squirm beneath him, a bulge in fabric rubbing against his own leg in minute, rhythmic thrusts.

Atem suppressed his own moan as he pressed into that spot and debated his options of how he could keep the attention here where it was driving Yugi wild, all while doting on other pressing areas. He wanted to please the man beneath him, to give him everything, even if right now, it was only his lips connected to that delicious neck. His complex dual tactics were not in the cards, however, as Yugi came up with his own plan far quicker.

A shift and tussle sent Atem’s world on its ear. By the end, he found himself pinned beneath the amethyst eyed man, who stared down at him, his chest rising and falling in pants. However, Yugi did not look spent. Not in the slightest. The other made quick work of Atem’s t-shirt, which was tossed with abandon towards the tree sparking in the corner. Thankfully, it landed on a lower branch, narrowly missing a set of fragile baubles.

“Careful,” Atem warned with a smirk.

“Well, I can deck my halls however I like.” Yugi’s eyes sparkled almost as bright as the tree with equal parts mirth and tease. “And I like the way your clothes look on my tree.”

An involuntary shudder shook Atem as Yugi pulled lower, lips drifting across Atem’s bare chest on his way down. Those lips were as gentle as butterfly wings, but ignited a hurricane within him. The almost ticklish tease trailed across his navel, stoking the fire below. Hitched breaths caught in unison as Yugi reached his belt.

Atem lifted his head to see flushed cheeks all aglow, bathed in flickering lights of the Christmas tree. Their eyes caught in a moment of understanding before Atem laid back with a purr.

“Let’s decorate the tree a bit more…” he said, giving his permission for the other to go on.

Atem could feel hands make quick work, unhooking his belt and tugging at his zipper. He was more than willing to assist Yugi as he tugged off his jeans, leaving his erection to tent his briefs. A soft thump and the pants joined his sweater near the base of the tree. Crimson again caught amethyst as Yugi bent to place open mouthed kisses on the inside of Atem’s thigh, once again pulling closer to his goal with an almost agonizing tease. He felt like melting right here and there. It was almost overwhelming.

He felt fingers loop into his waistband and tug, finally releasing him from his cloth prison. The room air may have been cool but Atem was filled with a fire that staved away the chill, and as Yugi began to work, Atem found himself getting hotter by the second under his thumb.

Yugi’s warm tongue found the crease before licking slowly up his aching arousal. Atem’s fingers grappled and clutched at the edge of the couch as he suppressed a premature thrust provoked by Yugi’s warm breath. Finally, a wet heat enveloped him, pulling him in deep with a hum.

He released a shaky breath as Yugi started to bob, his tongue toying and taunting the head. Soon, the slow bobs picked up in speed, both men succumbing to their urges. Atem did not want this to stop, did not want this to go too fast, but it felt so good, so tender yet so hot all at the same time. He parted his legs even more so the other could continue unimpeded. Atem’s teeth rasped across his own knuckles as a moan escaped his lips.

“Dammit, uhnnn… there, that’s —ah!”

His favourite customer continued his work with a rhythmic staccato, while Atem choked out his semi-coherent encouragement. He could not think too long about just how good Yugi was or how wonderful this felt. The fire burned, but he could not let it burn out of control just yet. There was something more he needed first. Something they both needed.

Atem propped himself up to sit as Yugi released his cock with a wet pop. He reached down and gently tucked his fingers beneath Yugi’s chin, pulling the other upwards to sit.

“Isn’t it time to finish trimming your tree?” Atem mused, hovering just beyond those glistening lips for a tantalizing moment before sealing them to his once again. Yugi did not resist for a moment as he advanced, Atem pushing him back lightly with an open palm. From beneath him, Yugi looked up from beneath hooded lids. That look tossed him over the edge, his heart tumbling into whatever awaited below. He had no mind to stop his fall.

The hammering in Atem’s ear compounded as he swiftly pulled off Yugi’s pants and boxers, which quickly joined his at the base of the tree. There was no mistaking that Yugi was suffering a similar fate as he was.

Not for long.

Atem dropped his head, licking at the bead of pre-come before taking Yugi in his mouth with a slow yet decided pull. Legs shifted around his shoulders, bent at the knees, as he trailed his tongue up the shaft languidly. Just as he reached the tip, he quickly plunged deep until he felt the swollen head reach the back of his throat.

“Ah! Atem, f-fuck.” The tremble in response was delicious and warm, like a fresh gingerbread cookie adorned with icing. This, however, was much tastier. Atem chuckled inwardly as he pulled back on Yugi’s cock once again. He could use more icing. Reaching up with his free hand, he started pulling the shaft as he bobbed.

“Ahnn… ahhh, you’re so hot… like that.” Yugi’s winded affirmations rung like bells, their sweet timbres like music to his ears. Atem took another few sweeps along Yugi’s cock before pulling away with a devious smirk.

Crimson shone in the flickering glow of the tree. “Not as hot as you are right now.”

Yugi seemed to choke on his tongue, cheeks red and breathing ragged. Atem saw fists scramble for purchase as Yugi screwed his eyes shut.

“Mouth… now!” Yugi’s gasps were damning.

With a sensual chuckle, Atem was more than happy to oblige. Just as Yugi’s erection graced his tongue, Yugi’s cry filled the apartment as he came, throbbing and pulsing, sending streaks of hot semen to the back of Atem’s throat. As Yugi rode out his orgasm, one hand gripping Atem’s hair to hold him in place, his other hand, however, found the one that Atem had braced next to his hip, their fingers coming to entwine.

Atem swallowed and slowly released Yugi’s spent cock, vision slowly coming into focus again as he started at that hand atop his. His eyes widened as his chest overflowed, warmth spreading towards his toes as he took in the simple, yet undeniably precious gesture.

“Sorry, that one hit me kind of suddenly.” Yugi’s sheepish laugh pulled Atem back to reality, and the wonderful, kindhearted man beneath him. “Atem, what is it?”

The awe must have been showing on his face. It may have been a simple gesture to anyone, but to him, that hand reaching out to his in the heat of the moment was everything. Atem covered up his reaction with a deep laugh, giving the hand in his a gentle squeeze. “Nothing. I’m good. Better than good, actually.”

The hand in his squeezed back as Yugi’s smile shone upon him like the north star, guiding his heart to where it belonged. “That’s good, because I was hoping you’d take me.”

The blood that had been colouring Atem’s cheeks rushed down below, his erection again aching and heavy. “Oh really?”

“Really, I have been hoping for a while. I mean, well, for anything to happen between us, this is just a big, juicy cherry on top,” Yugi said coyly, the look in his eye setting Atem off like a firework, “but until last night, I didn’t even know you were single.”

Atem felt the flush grow to a nearly unbearable burn and thanked the dim room and his complexion for hiding it. That had been quite the misunderstanding. Like Yugi, he had wanted this, all of this, for quite some time too. Wanted it so much it ached. 

Atem pulled himself to kneel between Yugi’s legs and ran a hand down the other’s thigh. He watched goosebumps spread across the creamy skin, as if pulled to life by strings at his mere touch. He folded his hand under the shorter’s thigh and pulled gently to prompt a bend. Yugi caught the thought and pulled his other leg up to mirror, and from between those two mountains slick with a dew of sweat, Atem saw the sun rise in Yugi’s eyes.

As if reading his mind, Yugi reached over to pull a throw pillow from the ground and propped it beneath his hips while Atem slicked his fingers. Slowly, he caressed down the crease until he felt the pucker of Yugi’s entrance. The muscle twitched delightfully under his stroke as if in anticipation of what was to come. Slowly he pushed through.

One knuckle entered and Yugi shifted. The other entered, and he started to squirm. As Atem plunged deeper in preparation, his eyes glanced back to Yugi’s face just in time to catch his eyes flutter closed. The small crease in his brow was certainly not from worry, and the sigh upon his lips simultaneously sweet and salacious.

Atem flexed his finger, slowly sliding across that firm spot he knew would send Yugi aflutter. His own pleasure multiplied as he watched Yugi take in a sharp breath in response, only to be let out a second later in a pant. In the flickering lights, the beads of sweat atop flushed skin was the most beautiful sight in the room.

“There… that’s it.”

“Here?” Atem feigned his ignorance as he pulled back and dove into that spot again. A moan delicious and dangerous nearly broke Atem’s nerve.

“Y-yeah! That one.” Yugi choked out. To Atem’s amusement, Yugis’ gaze was not the only thing showing his arousal anymore.

Fighting the urge to take that growing cock again in his mouth for another treat, Atem slid the next finger in and stretched while the other gripped the cushions as if it were the last anchor holding him to his sanity. Yugi may be trying to hold on, but Atem found himself caught by the desire to watch him let go.

Really let go.

He pulled out his fingers and with another slick, he pressed the head of his cock against Yugi’s entrance, which gave way fairly easily for passage. He slowly entered, encased by a tight heat that made the throbbing in his cock nearly unbearable. But beyond that, knowing he was currently inside Yugi just filled his whole body with something more than just desire.

He could not hold back his own curse as he sunk to the hilt, their skin pulling flush. He briefly watched the chest in front of him rise and fall in synchrony with his own breathing before he was pulled in by Yugi’s eyes. Even in throes, he could still see that soft radiance glow through the haze of want. With a gentle nod, Yugi’s breath was released as Atem pulled back half way before thrusting deep again with a grunt.

“Ah!” Yugi gasped.

Atem thrust again, the other’s resulting gasp almost mewling in cadence. He dug his fingers into Yugi’s hips as he succumbed to the rhythmic gyrations his body absolutely begged for. As he increased his pace, he tossed his head back, completely lost in the moment. Lost in the sensual sensations of skin on skin. Lost in Yugi. Again and again, he pushed home to the sounds of his partner’s pleasure.

“A-Ahnnn… you’re so… ah!” His partner seemed to lose his words and instead resorted to touch, a hand gliding up his leg to grip his buttock.

Atem did not even trust his own words at the moment, trying to not pay too much mind to the absolutely erotic and perfect display of Yugi unfurled beneath him. In an attempt to help his efforts, he closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. He wanted nothing more than to stay in this bubble forever. Just the two of them. No misunderstandings, no drama, no pretenses. Both free like a winter’s breeze, the world melting away around them like snowflakes in an ocean.

Atem nearly melted himself as he felt a hand press against his chest with a garbled command, halting his rhythm. His eyes sprung open to catch Yugi’s impish smirk as he gently pushed him backwards.

“Yugi…” he breathed as he watched his partner straddle his thighs to give one more decisive push against his chest. Atem did as he was told, lying flat on his back to stare up at Yugi. A hand encased his member, giving it a few quick pumps while Yugi bent over to place a kiss upon Atem’s lips.

“Now’s the time for that treat,” he whispered gently into Atem’s ear, the words arguably a treat in and of itself for Atem. He felt the shorter shift, Yugi’s weight briefly leaving his legs before he felt that tight heat again on his erection.

Atem bit his lip as Yugi sunk all the way down with a sigh, but even that could not stop his moans when Yugi started to gyrate. The thrusts came with increasing frequency while his pulse did the same, roaring like a waterfall in his ear. The fog settling on Atem’s mind was so thick his vision nearly went white. The fire was now burning unbridled, and Atem could not help but move his hips along as Yugi rode him.

“Fuck, Yugi…” he bit his knuckles, creased brow gleaming with sweat

“Good?” he could practically hear the smirk behind the breathless question.

“Better. Amazing. You’re amazing,” Atem blubbered, his composure completely gone, “absolutely incredib— ah!”

Yugi let out a shaky moan as leaded forward to adjust his angle to ram down harder on Atem’s cock each time he moved his hips. Sparks of pleasure shot across his skin as muscles coiled deep in his abdomen. It only took a few more thrusts before he felt his end coming up on him. His body ached for release, but he held back. This moment was perfection and he did not want this to end.

“I… I can’t hold out much longer. I’m going to come,” Atem panted.

Screwing his eyes shut, he held on to that tenuous rope of composure at the end of it’s line. Just as it was slipping from his fingers, he reached out and caught a hold of a hand.

Yugi’s hand held his firm, but his voice released him. “I’ve got you, Atem.”

Spots bloomed in front of his vision as he came hard with a howl, shaking beneath Yugi as he clutched onto that hand. He was so caught in the moment that he barely registered Yugi pulling nearly flush against him, warmth streaking in spurts across his abdomen. Yugi’s hips slowed before finally becoming still, and with a gentle shift, he pulled himself from Atem’s cock.

Chest to chest, cheek to cheek, they lay there utterly spent with hearts completely full. Yugi’s breath started to settle against his chest, becoming steady and regular, pulling Atem’s own ragged breaths into a similar, synchronous state. The fog of his desire became bliss, enveloping every corner of his mind with a calm and comfort that was truly unlike anything he had experienced before. He blinked at the ceiling in astonishment as he lay there, a realization slowly coming to a head. Thoughts swirled, almost drunken and dizzy, overflowing from his chest, sending tingles to the tips of his toes. The beautiful and wondrous feelings all centered around a nidus he had only recently vocalized.

Fall.

Like snowflakes from the sky on a silent night. Like a child on skates for the first time. Like grounds knocked from an espresso machine or a scalding coffee in a klutzy hand. He had fallen. Hard. Now from where he lay, he savoured this feeling that was unlike any other. The dams of hesitation and doubt he had built crumbled, his heart spilling over as every fiber of his being carried and sung this feeling in harmony. He smiled softly at the tousled head of hair springing messily from its ponytail as it nestled into the crook of his neck, his hand tracing up Yugi’s back before it came to cradle the other’s cheek. The touch spurred that face he loved to pull into view, pulling sleepy yet arduous amethysts hovering just beyond his nose.

“Hey,” Yugi murmured, the words soft and sweet and Atem felt himself melt further on the spot.

He closed the gap, a tender kiss to communicate things word would only fail. He pulled back with a breathless “Hey.”

Yugi’s lopsided smile was one of the most beautiful things Atem had ever seen. Yugi pulled in close to nuzzle his lips gently against Atem’s cheek before finding their mark. The kiss started small, sweet, stealing away his breath like a thief in the night. Soon it grew, the contact not enough to quell the need. With a hum, Yugi shifted.

Slipped.

Fell.

“Ow!” Yugi groaned from where he lay in a heap on the rug, rubbing at his elbow with a grimace.

“Yugi!” Atem’s eyes went wide, pulling himself to sit, not caring for a moment what happened to their mess. “Are you ok?”

Yugi giggled, his mirth instantly soothing Atem’s concerns. He watched as Yugi rolled onto his back, consumed by the laughing fit, his limbs unfurling like a starfish at the base of the Christmas tree. “I’m fine Atem! More than fine.”

Atem let out a low rumble of laughter back as he laid down on his side and propped his face up in his palm. “I’m so sorry, I should have prevented you from falling.”

Yugi’s laughter subdued, that soft smile pulling again at his lips. “Too late for that.”

Worry pulled at his already heightened nerves. “I know, I am so -“

“Atem,” Yugi’s gaze sobered, but paradoxically, his smile grew, “I meant I’ve… already fallen. Long before I, well, fell.” Yugi gestured to the couch.

_ What is he saying? _

Almost like he could read his mind, Yugi sputtered slightly and rubbed a hand over his face in vexation. “I’m doing a really bad job of… saying all of this.”

A spark ignited in Atem’s mind, his heart skipping at least three beats as he tried to process exactly what Yugi was trying to say.

“I have been falling since that time on ice yesterday… since the tree and since that time I hid under your counter, but really, since those gingerbread cookies.” Yugi explained, his adorable blush appearing once again. “You…”

The words were smothered before they could even be said as Atem himself tumbled and fell off the couch to pull Yugi into a kiss so fervid and passionate that if the Christmas tree had been a real pine, it would have surely posed a fire hazard from the heat. After a few moments, Atem broke for air and braced himself against the rug to drink in that look in Yugi’s eyes… and that laugh.

“You’re a mess, Atem!”

Atem became acutely aware of the sticky situation. “Hah, I guess I am. But I’m _your_ mess.”

“That you are.” Yugi reached up to drape his arms against the back of Atem’s neck. “Ok my heart, how about this? I’m not quite ready for another round yet, but my bathroom is the first door on the left. While you, uh, clean up, I can make us a little treat and there is this movie I’ve been meaning to watch… maybe you’d like to join me?”

“'Like to?' I’d love to.” Atem grinned, rolling off Yugi with a sigh. “But first, I will grab you a towel.”

Yugi splayed, resuming his starfish, grateful words tumbling from his mouth. “You’re amazing.”

Atem chuckled as he got up gingerly. “You’re even better.”

Towels came and went, and soon the two tricolour haired men were snuggled on the couch in a loose embrace underneath a thick blanket. Hot chocolates were in hand and the movie filled the room with cozy festive cheer. Atem turned his head in to nuzzle Yugi’s cheek affectionately, the faint trace of Yugi’s cologne mingling with musk awakening his senses. He felt Yugi shift against him, a hand reaching out to give his free one a squeeze. Nearby, the characters on the TV screen wondered how they were going to find their merry in this chaotic and hilarious predicament they found themselves in.

Speaking of merry. Rather, marry.

“So you know about the wedding I’m attending tomorrow? Marik told me yesterday that he was coincidentally also invited and that you might be tagging along with him and well, I was wondering if you would possibly…” Yugi sighed and murmured the rest into his chest. “Ah, do I even need to ask…?”

“No, but I’d really like it if you would.” Atem smirked.

“Ok. Atem… would you like to come with me to Jou and Anzu’s wedding tomorrow?”

“It would be my pleasure.”

The characters on the screen may still be searching, but he did not have to anymore. He had already found his merry, who was finally right here in his arms, after stumbling into his café and his life like the most perfect snowflake falling from the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now for the final chapter and the wedding... stay tuned.


	14. Epilogue: On the intricacies of explaining how you found such wedding date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> December 24th - The day of the wedding!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This epilogue is dedicated to a reader who has been a big supporter of our works, both our collaborations and individual pieces, for some time now. This one's for you Red/Shinayashipper! Thanks for everything, you’re much too good to the both of us!
> 
> So here we go, the final chapter. It’s the day of the wedding, but will the happy couple get hitched without a hitch?

When he cracked open his eyes, Yugi realized it was much brighter than any other morning in his bedroom. But he could not care less, as he also realized that his bed was not as empty as all of those other mornings too.

Atem was still sleeping, his head turned his way. Soft breaths came from his slightly open mouth, his bronze skin glowing in the morning light. Yugi took a few seconds to simply look at him as he smiled with glee.

Last night was…

Last night was…

He could not find the words to complete his thoughts accurately enough. It had been everything! He frankly would have been satisfied with just that kiss, but as they had walked home, he had invited Atem to join him for the rest of the evening for coffee and maybe more kisses, but that delicious tension had started building up between them, and he had ended up offering more than just coffee.

It had been on his mind for quite some time, probably a few nights from which he had awoken with a slight problem in the morning, but he did not want to push Atem into doing something he might have not been ready to do.

And then the brush of their hands in the elevator had charged the air, and Yugi knew Atem was more than okay with what he was offering. Yugi could swear he had stopped breathing when those knuckles had grazed his, and when Atem had so casually started rubbing circles with his thumb on the back on his hand, sending sparks all the way from the top of his head to his toes, setting his skin ablaze.

Atem had been so caring, so gentle and, yeah, so very good to him last night… and much earlier this morning too. Just knowing that he felt the same way, that he had been falling for as long as Yugi had, warmed his heart all over again. He reached a hand towards that sleeping face and brushed away a stray bang softly from Atem’s forehead.

The simple touch led to a fluttering of eyes, and Yugi stared into the crimson orbs slowly being offered to him. It took only a brief second for Atem to take in their situation before a large smile appeared on his lips.

“Good morning, favourite customer,” he said, sleep still lacing his voice.

“Good morning, favourite barista,” he replied, scooting just close enough to the other to lay a tiny kiss on his nose.

“You know, I could get used to waking up to this.”

“Oh really?”

But, as if this was simply not enough, his lips reached downwards to capture Atem’s soft ones slowly and gently at first, but both men soon turned it into something a little more heated. Atem reached under the covers to lay his hands on Yugi’s hips and pull him flush against him while Yugi’s hands traveled all the way up his torso to circle his face and hang on to him as lips opened and tongues lashed out.

Yugi broke the kiss in favour of nibbling and kissing his way from Atem’s chin down his neck, needing the sweetness of that caramel skin against his mouth. The other’s breath started coming out in shorter and more labored pants right into his ear and he took this as an invitation to keep going. He dove under the covers until he was eye to eye with a brown nipple onto which he latched and started circling with his tongue and sucking. A delicious moan left his partner’s lips and it encouraged him to continue his tasting as he peppered the other’s chest with butterfly kisses and started going lower and lower and lower-

Until two strong arms caught him and pulled him back up so crimson and amethysts met again. Yugi looked at him, dumbfounded.

Atem looked at him with a playful smirk. “As much as every single part of me wants you to continue and get straight into a round three, you might want to stop there.”

Yugi raised a curious eyebrow. “Now why would I want such a stupid thing?”

Atem nudged his head towards Yugi’s nightstand where an alarm clock was displaying the time. “Because it’s almost 8 o’clock and I do believe you have a wedding to get ready for?”

Yugi quickly glanced at the time and his eyes went wide. “Holy shit!”

In his hurry to try to get up, he got tangled up in the sheets, and maybe a little bit in Atem too and fell off the bed with a thud. Atem rolled on the side of the bed, eyes wide.

“Are you okay?” he inquired.

Yugi rubbed the elbow that had connected with the floor a few seconds ago and smiled. “Just peachy!” He kneeled next to the bed, his face only an inch away from Atem’s. “Normally, I would totally cook you breakfast and offer you coffee, and you know, that third round, but…”

“But you are in the wedding party, have to take a shower, get dressed and reassure a nervous groom?” Atem finished for him.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

He got up and gave just a quick peck on the other’s tempting lips before he hurried into the living room where most of their clothes from last night were still strewn here and there, a few hanging on the low branches of the Christmas tree. He smiled and blushed a little as he was reminded how they had gotten there. He heard Atem leave the bed and join him.

“Want me to leave now?” he asked as he bent to retrieve his shirt before putting it on.

Yugi was just about to put on his pants as he shook his head. “No no no no! No rush! Well, I guess a little, but I’ll just head over to Ryou’s and get everything done there.”

They had set everything at his best friend’s place, their suits and everything they would need to get ready. Tristan, Jou’s best man, would meet them there and all three of them would go pick Jou so they could arrive at the church together. He could easily take a shower at Ryou’s, but he needed to be on his way in the next few minutes for this to be possible.

Atem just stood there and smirked. “Yugi?”

“Yeah?” the other replied as he rebuttoned his flannel.

The barista cleared his throat and pointed at his legs. “Those are my pants.”

Yugi groaned at his mistake and quickly changed into his own pair before handing the one he was wearing to Atem. He then grabbed a few things he would need for the day while Atem finished up and they met at the door, both ready to head out. Yugi locked it behind them as they hurried towards the elevator.

“Sorry to be rushing you like that!” Yugi apologized again while they waited for the elevator to arrive.

Atem replaced his messenger bag on his shoulder, still smiling. “No need, it’s totally understandable.”

The elevator doors opened and they both got in. Yugi turned to face Atem, feeling like he wanted to make sure the other knew that he did not regret anything and that he had loved every single second of it. “Last night was wonderful and I really would have loved to offer you breakfast and-“

He was cut off as lips captured his own in a firm kiss. Yugi melted into the embrace instantly and even moaned as Atem pushed him softly against the wall of the elevator, deepening the kiss just enough to get him weak in the knees before pulling away slowly.

“There,” he said, a light flush across his cheeks. “Better than breakfast.”

“Agreed,” Yugi replied, now warm and awake all over again, that kiss definitely as good as a hot cup of coffee. The elevator doors pinged before opening and both were soon out.

Yugi pushed open the door to the building, letting Atem out before him. “Meet me at the church then?”

Atem nodded. “I’ll be there.”

Yugi smiled as he turned to head towards Ryou’s, but he stopped when he felt a warm hand enveloping his in the tender way only Atem could. He glanced down at their intertwined fingers and back at his partner.

There was a slight hesitation in Atem’s eyes and still that blush lingered from the elevator. “I’d love to cook you breakfast tomorrow morning, that is, if you want.”

Yugi beamed as he squeezed the hand in his. “I would absolutely love that!”

***

Atem heard the bells ringing before he even spied the church through his windshield. Thankfully, the traffic was light on the streets around the church because Atem was running behind schedule. After his absolutely wonderful, but unexpected night in Yugi’s apartment, he had to practically run back to his place to clean up and dress for the wedding.

He had thanked his lucky stars that he had the wherewithal to have already set out his black suit and ironed his emerald green shirt the day before. There would have been no time this morning, especially with his head still floating up in the clouds. While he struggled to get Yugi off of his mind long enough to clean up, his phone had begun to buzz incessantly. Wondering if Yugi was trying to get a hold of him, he had unlocked his phone and realized that Marik was the culprit singlehandedly blowing it up.

**> Pick up still at 9:30?**

**> Hey**

**> Your Highness**

**> Did you get my messages?**

**> Are you running late? You’re totally running late. You never run late.**

**> Why are you late? We need to leave like yesterday!**

**> Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh**

**> Wait did you…**

**> ;)**

That knowing winking face stared right into his soul. At one point he would have vehemently denied everything and feigned that nothing happened. However in the afterglow of the best date of his life last night, he was far too excited to leave Marik out of the loop.

**> Yes, I spent the night at Yugi’s. I will be there in 15 minutes.**

With a smirk, Atem locked his phone and pocketed it, moving towards the mirror to knot his tie. His phone vibrated at least five more times in his pocket, but there was no way he was going to check it now. That would surely make him late, and besides, he would be receiving his best friend’s exclamations in all of their glory in a few minutes anyways.

Not any sooner than Marik had settled into the passenger seat did the excited swearing and questions start to fly. Atem merely laughed, squeezing in short answers here and there when there was a break in the onslaught. Finally, after ten minutes, Marik was satisfied.

“You… you beautiful bastard, you did it!” Marik finally cried in triumph, reaching out to pull Atem’s head in for a rough kiss on his cheek.

“Marik, I’m driving…” Atem chuckled, unable to keep the bubbles at bay teeming in his chest. He had done it. He and Yugi were…

“Yeah, whatever! This is the biggest news ever! And to celebrate, I’m paying for all of your’s and Cutie Pie’s drinks tonight!”

“It’s an open bar…”

“It doesn’t matter! I’m paying!”

Atem shook his head and laughed. Despite his assurances, he could tell that Marik must still feel a little guilty about his poorly timed phone call two nights ago. Really, it did not matter in the end. To both of their delights, everything had thankfully worked out.

By the time they entered the church, the foyer was filled with people in suits and dresses milling about and mingling. The ceremony was still a few minutes away from starting, and some of the guests had started slowly making their way to their seats. Although these people were certainly of interest in a way, Atem realized that he had never been in a church this grand before. He scanned the art covered walls and colourful stained glass before becoming briefly preoccupied with the gorgeous ornate wooden beams arching up along the contour of the ceiling. They were the epitome of splendour and strength. 

Marik tapped him on the shoulder, pulling him away from architecture. “Why the hell are you staring at a bunch of wood when you could be looking at something even better?”

Atem’s eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. “What are you talking about?”

Marik huffed. “Why are you giving me that look? I mean, Cutie Pie is here! He’s right over there!”

Atem felt hands clasp his shoulders and he was spun around, catching a glimpse of Yugi talking to a couple near the side door through the crowd. Marik was right, he could not take his eyes away. By now, he had seen Yugi in many ways and in many states, but today, with his gently coiffed hair and perfectly tailored slate blue suit paired with a maroon bow tie, he was particularly radiant. Atem had to use all of his willpower to prevent his jaw from going slack.

“See? You should listen to me more often, lover boy. He’s gorgeous! Plus, I’m sure his wood is even prettier than those beams.”

Atem flushed deeply as he clambered for control over his now slack tongue. “Marik! We are in a church!”

“What?” Marik smirked, leaning into Atem’s ear. “That shouldn’t stop you.”

Marik pushed Atem forward, causing him to take several steps in Yugi’s direction with a small gasp. He spun around quickly to respond, but Marik had already taken off into the crowd to go god knows where. Atem took a few deep breaths to steady himself, before turning to look back at… 

Yugi.

Who was now walking right in his direction.

Atem swallowed, an icy embarrassment taking root. Had he heard any of that exchange? He certainly hoped not. As Yugi neared, he pulled himself together as best he could. “Hi.”

“Hey you.” Yugi’s greeting was much warmer and was accompanied by a hug that melted Atem instantly.

“It’s good to see you,” he whispered reverently, pulling Yugi in close. 

“Atem, it’s been an hour.” Yugi laughed, the beautiful noise only making Atem want to hold him tighter. After a few moments, the other turned his face briefly to place a chaste kiss on Atem’s cheek before pulling away.

“Still, that doesn’t change anything.” Atem smiled softly, his hands shifting from Yugi’s back to hold his hands. “You look… stunning.”

He watched a smile pull at Yugi’s lips, a faint blush colouring his cheeks. “Thanks, you look pretty handsome yourself.”

Atem smiled widely. “How have the final preparations been going? Are the bride and groom ready?”

“They should be now! Jou’s nerves thankfully settled after a good breakfast.” Yugi’s eyes nearly glowed with excitement. “Oh, and you should see Anzu! Her dress is perfect!”

Atem smiled back. “I’m sure it is, Yugi.”

They lingered there for a moment in the lobby as Yugi went on to describe Anzu’s dress and Jou’s jitters, which although Atem had yet to meet either the bride or groom, he still found himself enchanted hearing their tales through Yugi’s eyes. Soon, however, a tall man with hair gelled into a stiff pompadour who wore an identical slate blue suit came and quickly collected the groomsman. Yugi quickly apologized, promising to meet him outside after the ceremony before being led back towards the preparation area.

While they had been talking, the crowd had thinned around them. It was time to find a seat. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he spun on his heel and started making his way towards the church. Before he could even reach the first pew, he was stopped by a familiar voice.

“Well, fancy seeing you here.”

With a hum, Atem turned back around to see Bakura leaning up against one of the pillars, arms crossed against his chest with his characteristic smirk on his face. He was dressed in a simple suit which was fairly neat and tidy, but his hair retained its usual chaos.

“Bakura, I never thought I’d see the day that you’d wear a suit,” Atem greeted, approaching his old college friend, “I didn’t know you were coming to the wedding itself… I thought you said you were helping cater the reception?”

“Yeah, well, the bride and groom wanted some breakfast and snacks delivered and I was that lucky guy today.” Bakura shrugged, “Apparently the groom is a big stress eater.”

Atem chuckled to himself as he pictured a man in a tuxedo piling a plate of pancakes into his mouth.

“I could ask you the very same thing. You never said you were coming here when I mentioned it.” Bakura’s eyes narrowed slightly in curiosity.

“Ah, at the time I was not invited.” Atem shoved his hands in his pockets, a small smile pulling at his lips. “Things have since… changed.”

“Changed?” Bakura scowled. “What has to change to get invited to a wedding mere days before it?”

_ Everything.  _ Atem felt his cheeks prickle at the thought, the change that had only just happened but had tossed his entire life on its ear. “Uh, well I, uh…”

Bakura’s eyes widened and a smirk appeared on his lips. “Wait, are you  _ blushing _ ?”

“No,” Atem replied, knowing fully that it was a lie.

“You so are! You’re blushing like a fucking school boy! What has gotten into you?” Bakura blinked, still smirking. “Wait, it’s not a what… it’s a who.”

Atem opened up his mouth but words would not come.

“You’re probably banging a bridesmaid… or a groomsman… Wait,” Bakura snickered as he put the pieces together. “Wait one bloody second… I think I saw that cute little piece of ass walking around here a few minutes back. Yugi what’s-his-name.”

“Mutou.” 

“Mutou! That’s right! You’re fucking your little crush, aren’t you!” Bakura crowed, his face spit further into what could only be described as a devious grin. “'Atta boy!”

Atem’s cheeks were now warm enough to serve as a space heater on this cold winter’s morning. “Could you please not yell? We are in a church and the ceremony is about to start.”

“Yeah, no shit.” Bakura pushed off the wall and slapped him once on the back roughly. With a wolfish wink he headed for the hall. “You’re lucky I have work to do.”

He sure was. Atem stood there dumbfounded for a few moments as he watched Bakura duck into a side door before finally heading in to find Marik amongst the crowd. After a few more minutes, the friends were reunited and took their seats next to each other. Although Atem was excited to see the happy couple, he was mostly excited to set his eyes upon Yugi once again. 

***

The wedding was absolutely gorgeous, definitely the most beautiful one Yugi had ever seen. Well, sure, he was a little biased with this being his childhood friends’ wedding and all, but really, they had outdone themselves! The wooden church pillars and pews had been decorated with ribbons of pale blue and cream, with small bouquets of blue ranunculus, baby’s breath and the occasional burgundy chrysanthemum flanking the aisle. Bouquets and ribbons had also been carefully arranged to adorn the altar in a similar winter elegance. His heart swelled with excitement at the sight. Delicate piano music filled the space, granting the room an almost ethereal air. 

It was magical, romantic and absolutely perfect.

The wedding party started their procession down the aisle. Yugi’s arm was tightly held by Jou’s sister Shizuka as they walked. Faces turned from the pews to watch, some familiar, others not. He scanned those faces, smiling politely at friends and strangers alike until he found one that almost made him miss a step. As he took in that smirk and those warm ruby eyes, only then did he allow his smile to really grow.

Once the entire wedding party had settled in their respective rows, the music shifted and from beyond the double doorway at the far end of the aisle appeared a woman in an elegant and exquisite dress that trailed to the floor below her. As she started her walk down the aisle, her arm around her father’s, Yugi’s heart threatened to burst. In all of his years knowing Anzu, he had never seen her this radiant or this happy. He fought the tears threatening to form in his eyes.

From his side, Yugi heard a small sniffle. He stared up at Jou, who was losing his battle with his own tears. His lips were pursed, eyes shimmering with awe and love. With a small hum, Yugi reached out to pat Jou’s back lightly, cursing his lack of tissues and hoping that Jou did not decide to wipe his nose on his tuxedo sleeve.

Soon Anzu joined Jou’s side, prompting even more tears from the groom to the delight and amusement of everyone in the room, and the ceremony truly started. The magical quality of the ceremony continued on through the readings and the start of the piece said by the officiant. Yugi’s mind started to wander, the words flowing over him as he was pulled into the atmosphere of the room and occasionally towards where Atem sat. He tried his best not to think about the barista not twenty feet away, but he knew he was fighting a losing battle. Tearing his eyes off Atem for what had to be the tenth time, Yugi turned his attention back to the officiant. His words about love and devotion continued unaccompanied, ringing clear through the room. The music had stopped some time ago, but a faint, low beat had remained.

Persisted.

Yugi frowned a bit in confusion as the noises continued, an irregular beat unlike anything heard in music. It sounded like someone hammering a nail or moving furniture. His eyes drifted over the room, trying to find the source of the banging. His scan stopped as he felt a small tap on his shoulder.

“So you hear it too?” Ryou whispered from his side.

Yugi nodded subtly and turned slightly to whisper back. “That banging? Yeah, do you know what it is?”

“I’m not quite sure,” his friend replied, words barely perceptible, “but this is an old church, Yugi. Maybe they are doing some construction work in a different part of the building?”

Well, it was a possibility, but during a wedding ceremony? Yugi doubted they would do this, especially on Christmas Eve also. Before he could voice his uncertainty, the banging seemed to intensify. It seemed like it was coming from the… wait, that could not be right. Then came a muffled, yet distinctive grunt.

_ Oh, what the… _

He turned beet red. Implicitly and without decorum, he turned to stare wide eyed at Ryou, who had clearly heard the same thing. His friend pursed his lips, clearly struggling to hold back a laugh as he turned to look at the confessionals off to the side not ten feet from where they stood.

After a moment of his own bewildered staring, he spun to look at Atem. The other had already been staring in his direction, crimson eyes bewildered. They stared for a moment at each other, clearly having come to the same conclusion. Then Atem’s gaze broke and fell onto the empty seat next to him.

The final piece of the puzzle fell into place in Yugi’s mind.  _ Oh fuck. _

As if they had been waiting for this moment of enlightenment, the sounds of banging ceased. The only sound that now filled the room aside from Jou’s sniffles was the words of the officiant, undisturbed and ever steady, starting to initiate the exchange of vows. Yugi took a few deep breaths, willing his face to return to a normal hue from its current cherry red state as he listened to Jou and Anzu start to pour out their hearts to each other at the altar. Rings were exchanged, then came those fateful and wonderful words.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

The newlyweds’ kiss was sweet enough to momentarily erase the naughty and inappropriate noises from his mind. The church filled with applause, compounded by his own as Jou and Anzu walked back down the aisle, hand in hand. As the wedding party and the attendees coalesced in joy, they filed into the hall to take a few photos. Some time later, the party moved outside to leave, where despite the cold, the happy couple was met by a crowd and a shower of rice as they made their way into the waiting limousine. Yugi and the rest of the wedding party followed behind, filing in to go take more photos.

Just as Yugi was entering the car, he caught sight of Atem one last time. Atem smiled back, holding up his phone with a small shake. Before Yugi could pull out his own, he felt Ryou gently shove him through the door and into the limousine with a playful jab. “Stop gawking, smitten kitten! You’re holding us all up!”

With a grumble, Yugi settled into his seat and was finally able to check his messages.

**> Tell me if you need a pick-me-up, coffee or otherwise!**

The sweetness of the gesture flowing through him, Yugi grinned as he typed out his emboldened response.

**> Seeing you in that suit is already a great pick-me-up ;P**

The response came quickly.

**> You tease ;) **

Yugi’s brief flush returned as he quickly locked his phone before Ryou caught wind. The reception and seeing Atem again could not come soon enough.

***

Even though he had known that Yugi would be preoccupied throughout today with wedding party duties, thanks to a few helpful texts, Atem had been able to track down the wedding party during their photos to sneak in a coffee and a few minutes alone with Yugi. Their little bubble of alone time was not enough, passing by like a whirlwind, although a beautiful one at that. When he had left, much to each other’s hesitation, he became even more excited for the reception that was to come that evening. Even a short text from Marik saying he was going to skip the reception could not put a damper on Atem’s delight. He could hardly wait and thankfully soon enough, the sun had set and the reception had begun.

What a reception it had turned out to be.

In true form to the season, Jou and Anzu had made their grand entrance to their party accompanied by upbeat holiday classics. The feast had then been unleashed, the food to die for, piles of comforting Christmas classics with a twist. A series of speeches were then given, including a rousing and incredibly touching one from Yugi and after the cake had been cut and devoured, the truly fun part of the evening began.

//The snow on the ground

The love in the air//

The dance floor was cleared, and the newlyweds had their first dance to the warm and festive beat of Like it’s Christmas. The mixture of Jonas Brothers crooning and the joy and excitement that the happy couple exuded uplifted the evening to new heights and further spurred on the warmth that had kindled in Atem’s heart. As the song changed and the floor started to fill, a hand found his, pulling him into the throng much to his surprise.

Now, Atem was not much of a dancer. He had two left feet at the best of times and often wondered if what he had at the end of his legs even qualified as feet in this context. Usually he avoided such activities like the plague. However, that hand and Yugi’s face practically aglow with mirth compelled him. At first, he had been unsure, his movements too deliberate and wooden. Then Yugi pulled him in, his presence a solace and a catalyst for his delight. 

Songs came and went, keeping the atmosphere upbeat and merry. Much to his surprise, he was not itching to leave like he usually would be. In fact, he had stayed with Yugi on the dance floor until his feet positively hurt. Just before he proposed a break, the song shifted into something much slower, more intimate. Atem looked around watching couples coalesce into familiar embraces, some loose, some almost a little too risque for a wedding. As he stared at what could possibly be called the most adorable elderly couple to ever slow dance, he felt a hand slip into his.

//You’re just too good to be true,

Can’t keep my eyes off of you//

He drank in the gentle appeal in his partner’s eyes for a moment. With a warm smile of his own, he pulled Yugi into a loose hold, one hand coming to rest on the other’s hip. Yugi settled into their embrace, an arm draping across his shoulder while the other cradled his back. They swayed, gentle and sweet, cheek to cheek in their own little corner of the floor.

//You feel like heaven to touch

I wanna hold you so much//

Atem’s eyes fluttered closed, and for a brief moment, the excited trill in his chest was nearly too much to bear. If anyone had told him two weeks ago that he would be dancing in the arms of a very special someone at a wedding on Christmas Eve, he would have laughed. Wishful thinking for sure.

Yet, here he was.

For a moment, the world faded away, leaving only his and the heartbeat just beyond his own. All too quickly, the song ended, supplanted by upbeat dance tunes once again. Couples pulled apart, rejoining their little groups. For a moment, Yugi and Atem held each other, neither willing to let go just quite yet. 

“My feet are starting to ache,” Atem said, “Would you mind if we sit the next one out and perhaps grab a drink?”

“Sounds good!” Yugi smiled back. “Although I’m more in the mood for coffee, to be honest.”

Atem winked. “That can be arranged.”

Taking each step with ginger footing, Atem carried the two glasses of water and two mugs of coffee carefully over to where Yugi had commandeered a table a few removed from the dance floor.

“How did you manage to carry all of that?” Yugi asked, mystified, his hands currently working at the knot of his bow tie.

“Years of practice,” Atem relayed with a smirk, setting down a water and the coffee with a splash of cream in front of Yugi. The other thanked him, downed the water quickly and started sipping from the coffee. Atem chuckled at Yugi’s exhilaration as he pulled one of the decorated folding chairs to sit right next to Yugi. He took a slower approach to his beverages, taking a moment to savour his brew.

“Even though I ordered all of those different coffees, you still remember how I take mine.” Yugi smiled back at him, the small gesture sending Atem’s heart aflutter.

“Of course I do. I don’t forget things like that, especially not for my favourite customer,” Atem said over the lip of his own mug before taking a sip.

Yugi did the same, smacking his lips softly at the end of his swig. “This coffee’s not as good as yours is, though.”

Atem snickered. “Most certainly not.”

Atem took another sip of his coffee, and just as his lips left the deliciously bitter beverage, he felt something brush his knee. Looking up, he watched Yugi’s fingers unhook from the seat of his decorated folding chair, which he had scooted closer towards his own. Yugi leaned in, an elbow on the table as he regarded him with those alluring eyes.

“So I was wondering after, you know, breakfast tomorrow, if maybe you’d want to go skating?” Atem could hear the nerves return in Yugi’s voice as he posited the personal request. “I know your family usually did this tradition on Christmas Eve, but the weather’s supposed to be nice, and maybe we could do it tomorrow… together?”

Atem chuckled, the warm response seeming to pull the other out of his mind and squarely back onto Atem. “I was actually thinking earlier that maybe we should light a candle and do your Christmas eve tradition sometime.”

Yugi blinked in astonishment before settling into that adorable grin that was everything to him. “We could definitely do both!”

And Atem once again realised how lucky he was that such a great man had stumbled into his coffee shop one fine December evening. “I’d really like that, Yugi.” 

***

Yugi wanted a lot of things at the moment.

He wanted to get back on that dance floor and enjoy himself with Atem, because man, had that been a blast.

He wanted to stay in their little soft and happy bubble as they enjoyed a cup of coffee and winded down, just the two of them, almost secluded to the rest of the world.

He wanted to go back home and cuddle under a warm blanket with Atem again, share snacks and chill while having a Netflix marathon that they both would eventually forget as they talked the evening away.

And he also wanted to just straddle the other right now, climb on his lap and kiss the ever living daylights out of him like he had wanted to do all day.

With Atem just within reach and the warmth of his thigh pressed against his, it was getting harder to ignore the magnetic pull he constantly felt with the other, one that he could definitely abandon himself to now.

He was also very glad to know that he did not need to restrain his affection anymore, now that they had opened up to each other, and he was happy to see the other seemed to think this exact same thing as the barista’s nose came to nuzzle his cheek tenderly.

“That suit looks really good on you, but it would also look really good on my own Christmas tree this time,” he whispered, dropping a not so chaste kiss right under his ear, which had the very predictable effect of eliciting a river of shivers down his back all the way to his toes.

“As long as I get to decorate your floor with that pretty shirt of yours too,” Yugi replied, one of his hands gently inching up from Atem’s knee to his thigh ever so slowly.

He heard the slightest hitched breath from the other, and wondered if they could get away with leaving the reception sooner rather than later. Amethyst met crimson and his own breath caught in his throat when he was hit with such affection in those eyes, one he was pretty sure his own eyes mirrored.

“Hey, ya lovebirds!” an excited voice cut through their bubble and drew his attention. “Save some of that for us too!” Jou said as he sat down across from them, pulling Anzu along and setting her on his lap, arms comfortably settling around her waist.

He smiled at just how perfectly content the both of them looked right now, just as they had looked all day and evening. “Oh hey there, newlyweds!” he greeted them with a large smile. His hand rested against Atem’s thigh still, just laying there in the warmth he felt radiating from the barista.

Jou laid his chin in the crook of his wife’s neck as he smirked at the two other men. “Aren’t ya going to introduce us to your date, Yug? Anzu’s been curiously gazing ya way all evening!”

Said woman rolled her eyes and blew a cute raspberry at her new husband. “I was not!” Jou cleared his throat and chuckled. Anzy sighed. “Okay, maybe, but you know me? I can’t help but be happy for my friends, and you seem as happy as a clam with that handsome man next to you.”

Yugi felt himself blushing slightly as he answered. “Anzu, Jou, this is Atem, my…” he started, but then hesitated. How should he introduce Atem to them? He was his date here, sure. He was much more than a friend, that was sure. But would he dare take that step and voice that something more?

He felt a hand catch the one that had been resting on Atem’s thigh and gentle fingers laced with his. The quickest glance towards the man next to him told him all he needed to know. “My boyfriend,” he finished with the brightest smile he could muster.

And the squeeze on his hand was just as heartwarming at the words said out loud.

Atem.

His boyfriend.

Yup, he quite liked the sound of that.

Jou’s eyes grew wide. “Why am I only hearing about this now? These are the things ya tell your pal, buddy!”

“Well…” he turned to look at Atem who snickered at him childishly. “… it’s recent?”

Anzu smiled at them, like if she knew something already. “How recent?” she asked with a grin.

This time, it was Atem who spoke up surprisingly. “We’ve been dating for just shy of two weeks, but it’s been…” he trailed, his eyes finding Yugi’s again.

Yugi did not hesitate the slightest in his response. “Amazing,” he immediately offered.

“Yeah,” the barista agreed with a smile that warmed Yugi right to his core. “Amazing.”

It truly had been amazing. The simple search for a date to a wedding fast approaching had led him to meet this wonderful man. How signing up for the cheesiest date app in existence had created all the opportunities for them to get to know each other so well. How a misunderstanding could not even stop them from falling for each other.

He was looking forward to many more amazing dates with the barista that had stolen his heart and given him his in the best Christmas gift exchange there could ever be.

Anzu raised an eyebrow quizzically. “How did you guys meet anyway?” she inquired, ever the curious one.

Atem smiled mischievously at Yugi before turning his eyes towards the bride. “Do you have time? Because I think this story is best told over a good cup of coffee,” he answered.

Yugi looked at the happy couple as he took a sip from his mug before adding: “And I know just where to get the best one in town.”

Atem glanced back his way with a soft smirk. “Oh, you do?”

Yugi offered him one in return, his heart filled to the brim with joy as he used the exact same words he had told Atem when he had exposed his plan at the beginning of this strange, but oh so worthwhile endeavour. “Yeah, the service is impeccable and there’s this nice barista that actually owns the place.”

A beat, just the harmonious beat of hearts marching to the same perfect tune.

“A pretty great guy, I tell you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is it, readers! The end of this wonderful ride you decided to take with us! We would like to thank all of you for trusting us with your reading time and writing such wonderful comments along the way! Every single one of them brought excitement and joy to our lives, and we really enjoyed replying to you as well! Thank you also for putting up with us for the last few chapters that came out much later than we intended, we are still very sorry about that!
> 
> Honestly, we are sad that this story has come to an end, endings are always a bittersweet thing for the both of us! This is definitely not the last you will hear of the Hivemind Productions, we have too much fun together to stop yet <3
> 
> This story became very dear to us the more we worked on it, and although it is with a somewhat heavy heart we have to say goodbye to it, which is precisely what this is, a goodbye… Who knows? Some of these characters still have stories to tell ;)
> 
> With all our affection combined,  
> Pants and Aurora <3

**Author's Note:**

> Our Tumblrs:  
> [xauroraxborealisx](https://xauroraxborealisx.tumblr.com/)  
> [Atems-leather-pants](https://atems-leather-pants.tumblr.com/)


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